I read Gary Anderson’s commentary in the Friday, Jan. 17, edition of The Times Record, “Solving Bath’s Rabies Outbreak.”

After giving thought numerous times to the rabies dilemma, I realized too much of the natural environment has been used for development. This decreases the environment for foxes to roam and live as well as other animals.

With increased development, there is increased human population and activity which, again, reduces the area foxes can live and roam as well as other animals, as well as decreasing much-needed trees and the potential for disturbing the ecosystem.

Less human population and human development will not necessarily reduce the number of foxes that get rabies, however, there would be less contact with humans by foxes.

Encroachment by humans has caused numerous environmental problems that affect foxes and other animals as well as plant life, water systems and so forth.

Rabies is a serious problem, however, this outbreak might give us reason to stop and contemplate how we humans live and how we think and perhaps we should use some foresight on this activity that we call development.

Joseph Ciarrocca,
Brunswick