SKUNKS!

OMG Yes I know what you mean. 2 weeks ago there was a sick skunk, down the street, in broad daylight, stopping traffic. When numerous people called for help from the city, they were told, they would have to take care of it themselves. Lets see.. I sick skunk, on a city street, in broad daylight, and knowone to take care of it. Maybe Rabid?? Hmmmm
It was left to die, wherever it landed. This is on top of the summer nights, in a deep sleep, only to wake to the aweful smell of skunk.

And where is the money going to come from to pay for this?

True peter. Im sure the city can find some cash somewhere. Maybe instead of the bench in front of the Pokadot, or their bonuses, and raises. I think the city should upgrade to the large garbage cans, with lids, that the big cities use. Maybe also upgrade the trucks, to load the large cans, with little or no manpower. This would prevent bags just being left out for skunks and other vermin to get into. The skunks have been here for years, I just think their taking over, kind of like the squirels.

I know what you guys mean. I live over near Pizza Hut and Dollar General. When I walk home from work, or get up to go outside and enjoy the weather and relax a little, it is interrupted by SKUNKS! There are like 4 over by my house alone. and I know what you mean about them not being afraid of people. I was trying to find my kitten about 2 weeks ago, and I had to wait for this Skunk to get away from my house and away from my Kitten so that I could go get him.

Karen, to be clear, the money for the bench by the Pok-A-Dot did not come out of the city budget. It came from a grant from the state or the feds (honestly, off the top of my head, I can't remember if it was state money or feds).

Yes, I know it's all taxpayer money, but they are different buckets and can only be used for specific purposes.

I've seen about four total in the last year around my apartment complex both at night and during the day.

They're pretty skittish. I was able to scare them off by dry firing my paintball gun. There was only one time where I had to pop a few shots towards the little stinker to get it to run off.

Before someone asks, I asked one of the local cops that was camping out in a nearby parking lot trying to catch people speeding if it was okay.

So? When did it become the police's job to handle animals, especially skunks?

You have a legitimate concern, but complaining or making the BPD look bad because they don't want to handle a skunk, nor is it their job, is the wrong way to go about raising your concern. Expecting someone to take care of the problem is slightly arrogant too.

http://letmegooglethatforyou.com/?q=getting%20rid%20of%20skunks

This became a matter of Public Safety, the day I am speaking of. Animal control is very lax, in my opinion when it comes to anything to do with any animals in Batavia. Thats what he's being payed for right?? Somebody>?? The Skunk problem is out of control, and should have been dealt with long ago.

I just read on the City of Batavia's site, that the animal control officer handle's dogs only. I also read on our other online newspaper that last Saturday a woman in the town of Batavia was biten by a rabid skunk that charged at her. It was killed and the health dept. sent it to be checked for rabies. Maybe if you call the health dept. they can help, seeing that the skunks are not running from you as they should and could possibly could be rabid also.

So now we ned to use the cops for snunk teritory enforcement? Really? You can't handle this yourself? We ned the government to do it?

Peter check out the fish I caught this evening!!

Perhaps if the city turned the water at the spray park off when it is raining all day and not in use, they could use the money being saved from that to address the skunk issue.

When a "wild" animal does not run from you, could be it's been around people too much, to charge at you could mean babies are close by...or yes, rabies. My horse died of rabies over 14 years ago.... (I was sick w/heart ache) it was not mandatory to have rabies shots back then... it was just a strong suggestion and I was working on having a vet come out to the farm. My son & I both got the shots, not fun. Skunks serve a purpose, they eat grubs, insects etc...AND garbage...keep your areas clean... we are all trying to live together.... yes, they stink..really, really bad. All my dogs have gotten sprayed... BUT...., if you suspect aggressive behavior, I suggest you call the police and advise aggressive behavior they are "suppose" to get animal control out there as rabies is a serious issue. I dont suggest calling to say they are acting aggressive when they are not.. that's like sending someone to death when all they are doing is living after being born.

That would be fine with me Jacob

The legality behind a .22 and a paintball gun is significantly different. That isn't something to idly joke about.

I was almost ran over my skunk this morning on my way to my car. I live on Harvester ave.Glad to hear that I'm not the only one with a skunk problem in the city.I've been told by animal control if it's not licensed not their problem.

Nothing like having your fan in the window, in a deep sleep, when the smell hits you like a wall. LOL

Maybe the city could hire Ehrlich Rentokil to trap them-an employee of them lives on Bank.....I believe it is illegal to fire a .22 in city limits.....

Why does everyone think every animal they encounter has rabies? I've been a hunter all of my life and have spent endless time in the woods during the spring, summer, fall and winter. Want to know how many times I've encountered a rabid animal? Zero, none, never ever.

The only time I saw an animal that concerned me was about 15 years ago down around Bolivar, NY. She was wearing a tank top, no bra, spandex, (don't wanna know if she had on panties, huge or not) had no teeth, a cigarette hanging from her mouth and was sitting on the front steps of a trailer in a weeded lot. I drove faster as I saw this while driving by. I was looking for places to hunt and never went back there.

Anyway, leave the skunks alone and they'll leave you alone. In fact I can remember as a kid having a mama skunk with babies come through our back lawn while grubbing. It had no fear of us and tolerated us while we took pictures. This lack of fear had nothing to do with too much exposure to humans and it certainly wasn't sick. Skunks simply know that they'll win when it comes to a face-off so they just don't pay any attention to you unless they feel threatened. If you startle it, it might do a fake charge but it'll back off. Just stand still and don't piss it off.

Y'all sound like a bunch of city girls.

I thought the skunks were only by my house. I'll have city staff look into the complaints and see what can be done.

Go ahead and fire a .22 inside city limits. You'll be spending the night in jail.

I've never encountered, or aproached a Skunk. This stench invades most of our summer nights, not by our choice. As for the Skunk flailing around in the street on Vine, traffic was stopped on both sides of the street. The thing was very sick with something. Knowone showed up, not even animal control?? What would they have had the public do?? What the heck are we paying them for?? Just dogs?? Its not called dog control, its called animal control.

There are at least 5 of them near Summit Street and Washington Avenue. I was driving home late the other night and watched them cross the street like a row of ducks.

I've never seen that happen. Then again, I live off Main Street close to the city/town line.

Hmmm-maybe the city should invest in new "Skunk Crossing" signs for Main St-you know,like the ones I see up in Rochester area for ducks and geese......like Doug said-if you encounter one, back away from it slowly-do not make fast movements.When people saw that sick one on Vine-are you positive it had not been hit by a car? If you were sure it wasn't,call the county health department about it,or maybe the sheriff-then they can contact the proper person.

Skunks are only the beginning. We live on Gateway Drive and have been infested with skunks, fox, geese, deer, and supposedly coyotes have been spotted as well. A neighbor behind us living on Rt 98 is feeding the wild animals, creating a horrible mess. He used to put food out on a desk, but in thinking he is hiding from us, has resorted to dumping garbage in between trees. To make matters worse, he has a county nurse that comes everyday. and she has been seen bringing garbage down as well. Is this what our taxes are going towards?! My husband and I have seen the fox attempt attack a local cat, and are concerned for what they may do to a small child. Also, we have had an infestation of skunks, which obviously would be coming for the garbage. When a neighbor attempted to confront this man about his actions, the man became irate, using obscene language, leaving us all concerned of what he may do next should we attempt to resolve this.

There have always been skunks in Batavia. I can remember a skunk "trapping" my customers in the bar one night! It was right at the front door, so everyone was afraid to leave (and to come in unfortunatly).

The thing is that every time we build a new Walmart, Target, Home Depot, Lowes, we are destroying more of THEIR habitat.

If we keep taking away the animals habitat, then we need to get used to them being around.

The skunks are just being skunks! Let them eat all the grubs so we don't have as many Japanese Beetles next year!

Skunks stinky or not are a very important for the enviroment.God made them for the purpose they serve they are scavengers they eat bats snakes the cream sickle you drove by in the morning on the way to work left in the middle of the road by a little kid.Your trask with KFC bones and spagetti from mondays supper that by neglegence was put on the ground for the trash man instead of a common sense garbage can.If a skunk sprays its for defense something scared it to make it spray.They dont do it to pee you off on purpose.They dont go out looking for you their looking for food.If you or the neighbors arent smart enough to get a trash can they are opportunistic feeders and are smarter than you in the fact that they got a free meal and you wound up with a skunk size hole in your bag.As a potential candidate for rabies skunks are very likely candidates at the top of the list especially if encounterd during daylight hours.I shot and killed one in my dogs house acople of years ago during day light hours in the city

I used a .22 caliber pellet rifle that shoots around 850 FPS.Skunks have thin skulls if you shoot them in the side of the head.I kinda felt sad about it because they are a beautiful animal but so is my dog.Air guns dont make much noise and mine had a laser on it that I bought at walmart which Irecomend in case you got a skunk that wont leave at night.I am not recomending shooting in the city.But if you have to because your threatend by an animal not just because it sprayed KNOW YOUR BACK STOP!!!AIRGUNS CAN BE JUST AS DANGEROUS AS FIREARMS!

Airguns and paintball guns are considered firearms. Owning one and where you can shoot one is quite different than an actual gun.

yeah they are, I keep my paintball guns locked up especially since I have 3 small children at home. I will not take any chances. SAFETY FIRST! But I have done the same thing, I have shot a few "air" rounds off at skunks in my backyard that were actually "stalking" my 4 year old. I wasn't taking any chances!

A skunk spared all 3 of my dogs, and tried to bite them. Now in the middle of the day a possibly rapid skunk tries to even go near any of my dogs let alone bite them, it's not going to end well, for the skunk at least. And between calling a pro and paying who knows how much, or spending $5 on a pack of BB pellets i know what I'm choosing... Now don't get me wrong, i would never shoot or let something be shot for the "fun-of-it", i love all animals no matter how stinky, but there was a health risk with having the skunk..... anyway the dogs loved the all the attention they got while getting a bath.

I had staff check into the problem. They called the County Health Department. So far this year the reports are not out of the normal, there has only been two reports. The county will not trap them, it's considered a private matter.

I don't mean to be disrespectful to the poster or to change the topic, but it is anyone else having a problem with brown water?

I had one wandering somewhere close by last nite, because no matter where I was in my apartment I could smell it, and I am upstairs.

Jacob, I'm not apposed to the idea, there just has to be enough support in the city to want to pay for the service. As with any new idea you also need someone to champion the idea.

My wife and I are always on the look out for skunks when we pull into the driveway. I'm not sure if that is a fact of life or the problem is being under reported.

Are you serious Dan? If you are, you might have a water line problem. I think I remember that just before I got a $2500 bill to fix my main line.

Charlie-Being dead serious, I know that the Fire Department was flushing fire hydrants and was wondering if that might be the cause.

I seriously hope that it isn't a water main problem.

Hopefully, that's the issue and an expert out there can do more than guess. Don’t let me scare you on this subject, I don’t have a clue besides my own experience. I just remember my water tasting bad and being brown for a week before the problem. The next thing I knew I had a geyser in my front yard.

Charlie-Water's fine now. Man, that must have been bad, luckily I don't think that we'll have to go through that.

Thanks.

Dan,
When the Fire Dept.flushes the line, the water will be brown/rusty for an hour or so. In fact, when the paper gives the streets to be flushed, there is a notice that the water will be off color for awhile.

I'm not sure the double duty idea is going to fly. You would be changing the duties of a civil service position. I'm pretty sure that our police officers are not going to like the idea of trapping skunks either and that is something they would have to agree to do. Besides that if they do have extra time they need to spend that catching bad guys.

There are private contractors who will trap them, but they cost money.

With the recent fire department contract, back pay for the police, and just other costs that go up, taxes will go next year already.

How much more will anyone be willing to pay?

Remember, the government said there may not be a cost of living increase this year for people on SS.