Rockin' Rocky

For a few nights now a raccoon has been spotted at the Inn pestering patrons and frightening the cats.

Late Saturday evening as we returned to the family house on the property we discovered that the raccoon had been indoors and had both terrified the cats and consumed their food.

Not wishing the animal any harm we decided to trap it humanely and relocated it to a wooded area where it could live its days in its natural environment. Sunday came and we set the trap and sure enough Rocky was caught.

So we fed him and gave him water and he spent the night in his cage preparing for relocation the next day. On Monday we drove Rocky some sixty miles from home to a forest that covers thousands and thousands of acres and we set him free. Unusually for a raccoon he was reluctant both to leave the cage and then ultimately to leave us. It was only after the event that we realised that strictly speaking our actions may have seen us arrested for the illegal trapping and releasing of a wild animal.

This is when my thoughts turn to the difficulties of interpretation where the law is concerned. We may have been breaking the law by protecting an animal and caring for its needs and yet as we drove out through the woods today we saw a sign that read:

Turkey Hunters Beware, Identify your target!...I suppose it is a good idea that you don't shoot your dumb brother in the ass when all is said and done.