The World Wildlife Fund is always talking about polar bears in the Arctic, panda bears in China and tigers in Burma. But the average citizen in Toronto is more likely to see a squirrel, a rat or a mouse. Some might even see a raccoon or a skunk. These animals are not seen as glamorous by the World Wildlife Fund.

Some people would see Toronto animals as downright pests. Raccoons make their homes in chimneys. They will get into garbage and will make a mess. Skunks will invade the garbage too. The will spray someone with a horrible odor if the person gets too close.

Squirrels, rats and mice are rodents. Squirrels have sometimes been called: rats with tails. But in general they are considered more adorable. But given a chance they will invade a warm home or a warm store. I was in a sweater store the other day when a black squirrel came in several times. The shopkeeper showed the squirrel the back door many times only to see the squirrel again at the front door. Apparently they had been feeding the squirrel. I don’t know why. I bet those sweaters looked like tempting material for a nest to the little animal.

People think that rats and mice carry disease. In many cases, laboratory rate and mice help cure disease.

I have seen both rats and mice several times in my neighborhood. And I live in a fairly good neighborhood.

One time my husband and I were eating at a restaurant. I think we were eating chicken fingers. All of a sudden, my husband said:

“Turn around slowly, I think there is a mouse, it could be a rat, underneath that table.”

We quickly ate our food, paid our bill and left. We seldom go back to that restaurant.

During the last garbage strike, it seemed as though people were inviting mice. I spied a mouse scurrying in front of my apartment building. Feet away there was a couch on top of the garbage pile.

One summer day, we came face to face with a brown rat outside of the pharmacist. I don’t know if he was trying to get into the store or across to the dumpster at the other side. But he seemed to be startled at the sight of us.

He went back and forth then went back to the building site where they were building a condominium.

One time in a park I saw a fox. The other animals are in the zoo. And then there are the occasional stray cats.