After a long, at times frustrating, campaign, skunks in Windsor can once again go about their business without fear of trapping and euthanasia.
A staff report pointed to the lack of desire for the program – 0.4 per cent of residents requested assistance – as well as the failure in trapping – for every one skunk successfully trapped, two other non-target species were caught and released (48 skunks to 102 non-targets). Add on the cost – our estimates put the value of the trapping program between $80,000 and $110,000 for one year – and council clearly did not have much choice.
To help further the case against the program, we were able to present 1,000 postcards from local residents who opposed the program, collected by our friends at LUSH Cosmetics Windsor.
A hard-sided garbage container program is now in full effect in Windsor, which will certainly reduce the possibility of conflict situations. We have formally offered – and will continue to offer – to work with the city in developing outreach and educational material for their website.
We’re also hoping to see them begin to develop a no feeding by-law – a tool that will allow them to prevent individuals from feeding animals and, in turn, prevent conflict situations.
Thank you to all of our supporters, volunteers, the people who signed cards in Windsor and the folks at LUSH Cosmetics Windsor for your assistance. Because of you, lives in Windsor are being saved.
