Pests: How Humans Create Animal Villains

“So much of our surprise, our fear, and our vindictiveness when faced with a pest is a result of our own ignorance. When we see a coyote in the street, a rat in our trash can, or a squirrel in the attic, we are at a loss. When we don't know what to do, we feel helpless. Vulnerable. When we realize how helpless we are, shame follows immediately behind. We want the problem—and the animal causing our shame—to go away.”

“When rats are disgusting, it is because of where they live and why they live there. Rats are disgusting because humans are- we generate trash and sewage because we are indifferent to each other's sufferings.”