Stop Queens NYC Housing Co-Op From Terrorizing, Killing, & Orphaning Squirrels

[myrpalom]

Found this on the NYCPRC forum:


Urgent Action Alert:
Stop Queens NYC Housing Co-Op From Terrorizing, Killing, & Orphaning Squirrels

The Queensview Co-op in Astoria, Queens has hired a nuisance wildlife control operator (NWCO) to trap and kill squirrels who they’ve deemed to be nuisances. Gray squirrels are intelligent, inquisitive and adaptive beings that can live to be up to twelve years old in the wild. There are many ways to coexist with squirrels without resorting to harming them, including using repellents and excluding squirrels from entering areas (like attics, windows) by using chimney caps and other methods (some information on dealing with squirrels can be found at http://www.wildlifehotline.org/squirrel.html). There is no justification to treat other sentient beings so inhumanely.

While the Queensview Co-op claims that the squirrels are being captured to be released elsewhere, the fact is many NWCO companies lie about the final disposition of the animals they trap. Furthermore, relocated wildlife suffers high mortality rates. Any habitat that has sufficient food and nesting sites for a particular species, most likely already has the maximum number of said species sustained there. Thus, the NWCO companies are either killing animals directly or releasing animals in inappropriate habitats to compete with the animals who already live there inevitably leading to some animals suffering and dying through starvation, exposure, man-made injuries (i.e. hit by cars due to lack of familiarity with the area), or unnecessarily harmed in other ways. Furthermore, April is one of the months when many female squirrels have nursing young in the nest – leading to baby squirrels being orphaned and left to die of dehydration, starvation and exposure when their mother’s are trapped.

The Queensview Co-Op claims the squirrels are chewing the wires of vehicles and getting into homes. However, it is important to point out that not only is the random trapping and removing/killing of the squirrels grossly inhumane and unnecessary, it is not a viable long-term solution to conflicts with squirrels. As nature works to ensure that all habitat is sufficiently utilized, new squirrels will simply replace the ones trapped and killed. These squirrels will also get into homes and chew wires if no habitat modification or repellents are used. Thus, an endless and expensive cycle of inefficient and cruel trapping of animals has the potential of becoming commonplace.

Write, call, fax, AND e-mail Queensview Co-Op demanding they cease trapping immediately and find non-lethal AND humane methods of dealing with human/squirrel conflicts.

Frank Marcovitz, Property Manager
Queensview Co-op
21-66 33rd Road
Astoria Queens, NY 11106
frank@queensvw.com
(718) 728-5090
(718) 274-0567 (Fax)

Please send responses or any additional information regarding this issue to EmptyCagesCollective@gmail.com