Yeah, leaving pet food out is the biggest problem in getting too many opossum and raccoons around so I reformed my practices years ago.
I don't think killing opossum is a good idea unless really necessary. I found it necessary to kill one once as it had gone into my shop without me realizing it and it got very aggressive after I had walked by it. It was showing off those teeth and hissing and growling and scaring the living daylights out of me. It would not leave and really seemed like it would attack at any moment so I grabbed a nearby pole.....still wish there was some other way, but I sure didn't have time to do much pondering, etc. I never knew they could be so violent and would suggest keeping away from them whenever possible.
If you want lots of excitement, go watch skunks in your back yard like Tony!
