By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
Possums, and groundhogs, and deer, and skunk, oh my!
BG City Council’s Transportation and Safety Committee got an earful from residents about nuisance animals, who also include foxes, coyotes, and snakes. These creatures threaten, gnaw away at gardens, and literally raise a stink.
Committee chair Bill Herald said the meeting had been called to determine whether there was a problem with “dangerous” animals, and, if there was, whether the city had a role to play in controlling it.
Herald, and the other committee members Joel O’Dorisio and Jeff Dennis said they have all heard complaints from constituents.
The committee meeting stems from an earlier council meeting when residents spoke up, particularly about skunks, which seem to be more prolific this summer. On Monday skunks shared the spotlight with opossums, raccoons, deer, fox, and coyote.
Three residents from the 200 block of Sand Ridge shared their complaints.
Kathy Hanson who lives next to the Bellard Park at the intersection of Sand Ridge and Kenwood, said since moving into the former church next to the park, she’s tried to maintain it, even spending some of her own money on plantings.
But now she wonders if it’s worth it because of the damage done by deer and other wildlife.
Her neighbor Shannon Warman has fenced in her yard to keep deer from her garden, to no avail. “I would love to live with them but they’re not giving us a chance.”
Another neighbor Phil Simon said he grew up and went to school in Bowling Green, and settled here because he wanted to have a garden and fruit trees. That’s impossible given the rampant wildlife.
It’s not only a financial burden for residents, but a safety hazard. More vehicle-deer collisions are likely as the deer population continues to grow.
Though he knew it would be unpopular, considering culling the deer. The Toledo Metro Parks have such a program, and he’s been told it works well, and provided 6,000 pounds of venison for needy residents.
Others testified to problems in other areas of the city.
Debbie Thompson, who lives at Chauncey Pointe, also said residents in the east BG retirement complex report hearing and seeing coyotes. She’s also concern by the number of snakes.
Shawn Conner came with photos taken showing skunks and other animals making their way up to her porch on Haskins.
One night she let her small dog out, and he confronted a deer. Startled by the dog’s barking, the deer was too confused to find its way back over the fence.
She’s also witnessed a standoff between a fox and a doe protecting her fawn.
Tod Finch on Jefferson Drive said during the city council meeting that followed the committee meeting that his family’s July 4th celebration included an uninvited guest, a skunk who strolled through the gathering.
They joined the chorus asked for the city to reinstate the animal control officer.
The position was discontinued in 2019 when the incumbent retired. The city relies on the county dog warden.
O’Dorisio said that most of the calls the animal control officer handled were related to dogs.
He said he would like a more holistic approach the nuisance wildlife problems. Parks and Recreation could possibly hire a wildlife specialist. He said he was “comfortable accommodating wildlife in our community.”
The complaints come in the wake of council’s approval of an ordinance forbidding the feeding of wild turkeys and deer. O’Dorisio said that council might want to wait to see how that measure works.
The first speaker of the night was Rose Drain who suggested the increase in calls was related to the discontinuation of the animal control officer.
She said such an officer could be part of helping residents “coexist with wildlife.”
Thompson suggested the city reach out to Nature’s Nursery about how to deal with wildlife.
Dennis said he looked back and found the animal control officer handled just under 200 calls a year. That indicated the need. He is reluctant to rely on the county to provide services the city should be providing.
Dennis also said that removing raccoons that are living in residences should be a concern of the city’s, and not the sole problem of the home owners. Many of those problems are in rental properties, he noted.
Herald said given the comments both at the meeting and what council members have heard outside, nuisance animals are a problem. The committee, he said, will meet again to focus on what the city should do about it.
