Hi Gary... I was reading your column about how to get rid of raccons. We had a problem with raccoons coming into the backyard eating all the fruit from the trees and making a huge mess in the backyard by knocking things over, our huge black lab roams the backyard. I called the wildlife refuge in Newark/Fremont and they told me to soak old rags in amonia and place around the perimiters of the house, the lady told me that the raccoons did not like that smell and would not come near the area? well it has worked for the last 3 years, she said it would not hurt the raccoons as they would not go near the rags. Hope it helps Sandy Franco