If you live in Westport, at some point you’ve probably wondered:
- What’s up with all these coyotes?
- What do I do about an injured bird/raccoon/deer?
- Is there anything I can do about my neighbor’s damn dog?
The answers come next Tuesday (March 5, 7 p.m.) from a somewhat unlikely source: the cops.
On second thought, it’s not so unusual. Westport’s Police Department has a robust Animal Control division. They’ll host that Animal Control Awareness Night, in the 2nd floor classroom at police headquarters on Jesup Road.
Do you know what to do when you see a coyote?
The goal is to educate the public about the Animal Control Division. Among the topics: animal control laws and town ordinances, disaster preparedness for pets, living with coyotes, protection from rabies, and what to do if you find injured wildlife.
Presenters include Dr. Sheldon Yessenow, state Animal Response Team regional director and a veterinary responder to Hurricane Katrina, and Peter Reid, associate director of Wildlife in Crisis.
The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. Sorry — no dog treats.
“Do you know what to do when you see a coyote?”
Say “meep-meep” and run away fast.
Hopefully they address the growing deer population and what the long-tem plan is to control the increase in population and commensurate property damage (car accidents and home/vegetation damage). They have no natural predator in Westport and the town will eventually need to consider options to manage the population.
My my, whatever did we do during the age of The Revenant! (clutches pearls)
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OMG … squirrels! Aacckkkkk!
Okay, just kiddâin … a little.
But hey, we DID build into THEIR wilderness, now didnât we.
Sometimes I wonder about of all the ill-decisions we humans make.
Taking-over vs. co-operating, with all of our planetary species, in every sense of the word.
Funny how this local topic isnât just a first world âproblemâ anymore. I expect weâll all encounter many more extremes, moving forward, with respect to misplaced wildlife, along with uninhabitable âconditionsâ for humans around the globe.
Yep, I’ve pontificated here. Oops! đ€đ
How about bears? I had to discontinue feeding the birds after a bear invaded my backyard a year ago and broke my seed feeder. I also stopped putting out sugar water for the hummingbirds in a feeder in front of my living room window in season as I did not want to take a chance on having a bear crash through my window to get at the water.Â
This is a great loss for me. My vision is limited and so I need to feed the birds near the house to see them. The hummingbirds have been coming to my fonnt window for decades, and they are disappointed to find nothing tor them there when they return in the late spring.
Nina Streitfelda Westport resident since 1978 and a homeowner since 1979