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ANIMAL CONTROL
Call the Kenilworth Police Department at 847-251-2141 if you
have a question concerning domestic or wild animals within the Village.
WILDLIFE
Wild
animals are considered to be indigenous to our area and generally beyond the
responsibility of the Village animal control program. However,
the Kenilworth Police Department will provide assistance on those occasions when
wild animals enter the living space of a residence and pose a threat to persons. Wild
animals in eaves, walls, under decks, in garages, etc. are not considered to be
a threat and cannot be handled by the police. When
their presence in these areas poses a problem, members of the Police Department
will gladly provide information and suggestions for relocating them but it is
the homeowner’s responsibility to deal with the animals or contract with a
private pest control company. The Department provides
traps at no charge to residents to capture wild animals that are inside homes. The
Department cannot trap wild animals that are living outside the home.
There are licensed private companies that charge a fee to remove wild
animals and stinging insects from private property. For more information regarding Wildlife, visit the University Of Illinois Extension's Living with Wildlife website.
Over
the past several years, coyote and fox sightings have become more prevalent
within the village and surrounding communities.
Although you may be shocked to see a coyote running through the village
it is not unusual. Many
wild animals, including the coyote and fox, adapt very well to urbanization and
can cohabit with humans. Some people have expressed concern about these
animals attacking children and pets. Attacks by coyotes on humans are
extremely rare and attacks on humans by fox are non-existent. In fact,
both animals are very skittish and tend to shy away from direct contact with
humans. While coyotes can pose a
threat to domestic pets their diet consists of mostly small mammals including
mice, rabbits, and squirrels but will also eat fruits and vegetables, especially
in the fall. When letting your dog
out at dusk or after dark, check the yard for any type of wild animal. Turn
lights on and make some noise in order to scare off any possible wild animal
that may be in the immediate area. Feeding coyotes completely breaks down their
natural fear of humans, and can cause them to become unusually aggressive. Food
placed out for other wildlife such as birds and squirrels attracts coyotes who
are seeking the small animals as a food source.
Residents may wish to discontinue feeding wildlife to avoid attracting
the coyotes. Coyotes are
opportunistic, bringing in dog or cat food in the evening will also eliminate a
potential food source. The
question has also been asked as to why the police department will not capture
and remove these animals. According to the Illinois Department of Natural
Resources, trying to reduce and control the coyote population will not work.
The void created by a coyote’s death or removal will be filled within three to
four weeks. Coyotes are also intelligent animals and very difficult to
catch in a live trap. Traps successfully used to capture coyotes are
“snare” or “leg hold” traps which are dangerous to children as well as
adults. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources suggests that unless
an animal has demonstrated aggressiveness toward a human or a domestic pet, the
coyote should be left alone. In the event of aggressiveness, an Illinois
Department of Natural Resources licensed trapper should be contacted to address
the problem animal. Parents
should educate their children on how to identify and stay away from coyotes and
other wildlife. Bats & Rabies According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Rabies is a fatal disease. Each year, tens of thousands of people are successfully protected from developing rabies through vaccination after being bitten by an animal like a bat that may have rabies. There are usually only one or two human rabies cases each year in the United States, and the most common way for people to get rabies in the United States is through contact with a bat. Awareness of the facts about bats and rabies can help people protect themselves, their families, and their pets. Most bats do not have rabies. Just looking at a bat, you can’t tell if it has rabies. Rabies can only be confirmed in a laboratory. But any bat that is active by day or is found in a place where bats are not usually seen like in your home or on your lawn just might be rabid. A bat that is unable to fly and is easily approached could very well be sick. In your home If you’re not sure if a contact has occurred, but a bat is found on or near you, then post-exposure vaccination may be warranted. Infants, young children and people with reduced mental function due to medication, alcohol, illness or age should be considered to be at higher risk since they may not have known or be able to tell others if they were bitten. If you are certain no people or pets have come in contact with the bat Confine the bat to a room by closing all doors and windows leading out of the room except those to the outside. The bat will probably leave soon. If the bat doesn’t leave, contact an animal control or public health agency for assistance. If help isn’t available, follow the steps to capture a bat. If there's been contact between the bat and people or pets If a bat is in your house and you have any question about whether the bat has been in contact with people or pets, you will want to have the bat captured and tested. Call animal control or a wildlife conservation agency for assistance. If professional assistance is not available, follow the steps to safely capture the bat and save it for testing. To capture a bat 1. Find a small container like a box or a large can, and a piece of cardboard large enough to cover the opening in the container. Punch small air holes in the cardboard. 2. Put on leather work gloves. When the bat lands, approach it slowly and place the container over it. Slide the cardboard under the container to trap the bat inside. 3. If you are certain there’s been no contact between the bat and any people or pets, carefully hold the cardboard over the container and take the bat outdoors and release it away from people and pets. 4. If there’s any question about contact between the bat and people or pets, you want to save the bat for testing. Tape the cardboard to the container, securing the bat inside and then contact your health department to have the bat tested for rabies.
If
you observe any animal that appears to be injured, sick or displaying
aggressive behavior, please call The following websites offer
additional information: http://www.projectwildlife.org/index.php http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/Pages/default.aspx
http://chicagowildernessmag.org/issues/winter2001/wiley.html http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/bats/ http://www.urbancoyoteresearch.com/The_Results_Of_The_Study.htm
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