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Subject: Squirrel Wars Dear SDL,
We have a squirrel
problem beyond belief. I first found your site after we moved into a
house next to the "squirrel lady." I am returning to the roots to ask
for any assistance. This neighbor feeds squirrels with buckets and
buckets of whole nuts as well as piles of sunflower seeds, bird seed,
bread crumbs and cobs of corn. She spends close to $10,000 per year on
feed ("some people spend their money
on going to Florida, I feed my pets"). She also feeds on rental
properties in the area. She has a daily one hour or so ritual of feeding
her little rodents. She also drives around the neighborhood with
lights out so the neighbors don't see her coming — sometimes on the
wrong side of the road!.
She has lived in
her house for 37 years and has always been
a feeder of squirrels. The neighbors have always opposed her feedings,
but the city has done nothing to change her habits and her feeding have
gradually increased over the years. The past City Attorney sent her a
letter in 1986 asking her to taper her feeding, no change! The Police
Chief said that when he came on the job 13 years ago, the leaving Chief
handed him a stack of files regarding this. We did not know this before
we moved in. The people who sold us this house told us she would
probably try to feed on our property, but we thought, it is a lady
feeding squirrels, how bad could it be?
The first time we
really started to go beyond asking her to stop feeding on our property
was as a result of seeing rats. I called the Health Department on this
and they said that I was about 15th on the list of complaints against
her. This is when we started to talk about the problem with our
neighbors (the spring after we moved in). We not only have
squirrels, but we have rats, crows,
chipmunks, mice, raccoons, and one porcupine. She is attracting many
animals other than the squirrels and birds.
We have formed a
group that has so far brought together the Alderperson, Health dept.,
Assistant City Attorney, and Police Chief. What we have
accomplished so far is stopping her from feeding at will on public
property, although she is still doing this on a smaller scale. Their
first step was to meet with her and ask her to negotiate a
compromise on her feedings. She was willing
and stated that she didn’t feed too much so this wouldn't be a problem.
This didn't last since her habit couldn't be curbed. Then, the City
started giving her tickets for feeding on public property. She was given
a couple of tickets for numerous offenses. She was found guilty and had
to pay fines (she was out less than 3 hours later feeding). She
continues to feed volumes on her yard. The Police Chief, Assistant
City Attorney are unwilling to take another steps since she will not
curb her feedings. She is unwilling to compromise since she feels she
pays property taxes. There is about a 80% property damage rate in the
neighborhood from the large number of squirrels.
The newest round in the squirrel wars is: the neighbors went
in front of the Public Health and Safety council to get an ordinance to
curb her feedings. The ordinance was adopted and will go before the
city's Common Council. The mayor said she would oppose this and veto the
ordinance. We have had to present our facts and pictures in front of
each of these hurdles and change has resulted because of the volumes of
feed and property damage.
My long story ends in a
plea of assistance. Are there any cities that had a similar situation
that you know of? Is there any neighborhood that have been successful in
stopping this. We are already tapping and exterminating the squirrels —
150 last summer — in one block radius, not to count the next block
radius from here. Any help is much appreciated.
— Name and
location unknown
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