meatless
August 11th, 2004, 12:10 PM
Can't link to it since it's a subscription-only site.
From the Ottawa Citizen
When animals become pesky, governments go hunting: City admits it killed groundhogs at park due to 'health, safety'
The Ottawa Citizen
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Page: A1 / FRONT
Section: News
Byline: Daniel Tencer
Source: The Ottawa Citizen
A rash of groundhog poisonings in Andrew Haydon Park is not the work of malicious vandals -- it's city-mandated policy, says Alex Cullen, councillor for Bay Ward.
Mr. Cullen yesterday sent a letter to resident Catherine Gardner, after Ms. Gardner alerted the authorities to the fact that the groundhog burrows at the park had been filled in, with no sign of the critters anywhere.
"I am sorry to have to tell you that the city's rodent control program does include groundhogs in city parks, for health and safety reasons," Mr. Cullen wrote in the letter.
"Groundhogs are rodents, and they will bite."
"It's not unique to Andrew Haydon Park," Mr. Cullen told the Citizen yesterday.
When we get an infestation, an exterminator is hired, who puts gas into the burrow which humanely kills the groundhogs, and then the holes are filled in. This is not a new policy; it's been around for a long time."
Mr. Cullen said the number of groundhogs affected was "around a dozen" and not 20 or more, as had been reported earlier, adding that the cull was a one-time thing.
Mr. Cullen said that the city's National Capital Equestrian Park, also in his ward, had a much more "pro-active" policy towards groundhog control.
The councillor explained that safety, "as well as trying to protect the park assets" were the primary reasons for the city's policy.
"People mistake them for domesticated animals, try to pet them and get bit," he said.
"And they destroy the terrain" because of "the holes they make."
"I'm appalled," said a visibly shaken Ms. Gardner yesterday.
She said she did not agree with Mr. Cullen's explanation for the groundhog cull.
"We didn't look at them as pets," she said, referring to the Andrew Haydon Park regulars who developed an affinity for groundhogs.
"We looked at it as people interacting with nature. They're not harmful to people on a regular basis. When you go near any groundhog it runs away from you. Most people are actually quite surprised to see people feeding groundhogs (at the park)."
She added that damage to the park from groundhog burrows was not severe. Most holes the groundhogs created were in an area of the park not frequently used by visitors, and many of them were hidden between rocks, Ms. Gardner said.
Ms. Gardner said that killing the groundhogs is not the only solution to a park infestation. "Because they are quite friendly -- some of the park staff have seen us feeding them -- it's not impossible to catch these guys with a net," Ms. Gardner said.
But Mr. Cullen said that provincial regulations prevented this practice from happening. "We cannot live-trap and transport them," he said. "The MNR (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources) policies forbid this. You have to locate them within a kilometre, and that doesn't work in many places."
For his part, Mr. Cullen lamented the fact that he was the one to bring this news to Andrew Haydon Park's groundhog lovers. "I'm stuck with being the messenger (of this bad news)," he said. "It's not a happy situation to be in."
Ms. Gardner said she expects the Andrew Haydon groundhog cull "will become a bigger issue." She said that numerous individuals "bombarded" park staff with questions about the groundhog disappearance, after the Citizen first reported Sunday.
From the Ottawa Citizen
When animals become pesky, governments go hunting: City admits it killed groundhogs at park due to 'health, safety'
The Ottawa Citizen
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Page: A1 / FRONT
Section: News
Byline: Daniel Tencer
Source: The Ottawa Citizen
A rash of groundhog poisonings in Andrew Haydon Park is not the work of malicious vandals -- it's city-mandated policy, says Alex Cullen, councillor for Bay Ward.
Mr. Cullen yesterday sent a letter to resident Catherine Gardner, after Ms. Gardner alerted the authorities to the fact that the groundhog burrows at the park had been filled in, with no sign of the critters anywhere.
"I am sorry to have to tell you that the city's rodent control program does include groundhogs in city parks, for health and safety reasons," Mr. Cullen wrote in the letter.
"Groundhogs are rodents, and they will bite."
"It's not unique to Andrew Haydon Park," Mr. Cullen told the Citizen yesterday.
When we get an infestation, an exterminator is hired, who puts gas into the burrow which humanely kills the groundhogs, and then the holes are filled in. This is not a new policy; it's been around for a long time."
Mr. Cullen said the number of groundhogs affected was "around a dozen" and not 20 or more, as had been reported earlier, adding that the cull was a one-time thing.
Mr. Cullen said that the city's National Capital Equestrian Park, also in his ward, had a much more "pro-active" policy towards groundhog control.
The councillor explained that safety, "as well as trying to protect the park assets" were the primary reasons for the city's policy.
"People mistake them for domesticated animals, try to pet them and get bit," he said.
"And they destroy the terrain" because of "the holes they make."
"I'm appalled," said a visibly shaken Ms. Gardner yesterday.
She said she did not agree with Mr. Cullen's explanation for the groundhog cull.
"We didn't look at them as pets," she said, referring to the Andrew Haydon Park regulars who developed an affinity for groundhogs.
"We looked at it as people interacting with nature. They're not harmful to people on a regular basis. When you go near any groundhog it runs away from you. Most people are actually quite surprised to see people feeding groundhogs (at the park)."
She added that damage to the park from groundhog burrows was not severe. Most holes the groundhogs created were in an area of the park not frequently used by visitors, and many of them were hidden between rocks, Ms. Gardner said.
Ms. Gardner said that killing the groundhogs is not the only solution to a park infestation. "Because they are quite friendly -- some of the park staff have seen us feeding them -- it's not impossible to catch these guys with a net," Ms. Gardner said.
But Mr. Cullen said that provincial regulations prevented this practice from happening. "We cannot live-trap and transport them," he said. "The MNR (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources) policies forbid this. You have to locate them within a kilometre, and that doesn't work in many places."
For his part, Mr. Cullen lamented the fact that he was the one to bring this news to Andrew Haydon Park's groundhog lovers. "I'm stuck with being the messenger (of this bad news)," he said. "It's not a happy situation to be in."
Ms. Gardner said she expects the Andrew Haydon groundhog cull "will become a bigger issue." She said that numerous individuals "bombarded" park staff with questions about the groundhog disappearance, after the Citizen first reported Sunday.