Are they common over there? A friend of mine had a funny experience with one, when it jumped over a table and pinched her sandwich, just as she was taking a bite out of it!

Yes they are. Shooting them is the only practical way to deal with them.

Ha ha ha - oh dear!

I saw one once at the Toronto Zoo taking food from the bins....that was the only time

Really cute tho'

Really. Beating them to death individually is messy and time consuming. Antifreeze doesn't kill them. Poisons knock off local dogs and cats without harming the raccoons.

Where do they live? Up a tree, in the attic?

sorry about my misspelling of raccoon!

Most of the time they live in corn fields, though your attic might interest them if it has bugs in it

She was telling me porkies then .... she said they all lived in lofts and can grow to the size of a large dog! Had me quite scared!

Not the one i saw....it was about the size of a cat Maybe if your living out in the sticks it would be different

Does your friend live in Canada?

Both. Removing them from the attic is difficult and dangerous.

Yes - in Hamilton!!! I think she exaggerates somewhat though [bears in her back garden etc]!

They grow to that size yes,,as to where they live it deppends whether they are city raccoons or country raccoons The city ones are not as tasty as the country ones,these have more of a "Wild" taste and are great off the BBQ in summer but dont confuse them with a skunk

Well, as long as they pay their rent on time .....!

In Toronto they grow to the size of small, but real, dogs. 40lbs maybe, not like chows or shitzus but smaller than Great Danes.