Graduate student Hayley Glaholt left Kresge Hall last month and unexpectedly came face-to-face with a dead skunk. University Police had hit it several times with a baton and covered it with a tarp because it appeared to have rabies, she said.
“The law is that if you trap a skunk, you have to humanely euthanize it,” said Glaholt, who teaches an undergraduate class on religion and animals. “The definition of humanely euthanizing is what’s the issue here. Our police were completely unable to deal with a wildlife issue in the way they’re supposed to.”
The warmer months bring an increasing number of calls about pest problems, and Glaholt’s concern with the police’s treatment of the animal has helped bring the university’s pest control policy to light.
After Evanston Animal Control and Smithereen, the private contractor used by Facilities Management, were unable to respond to the scene, UP was called to handle the situation, said Deputy Chief Dan McAleer. Responding officers reported the skunk appeared injured and was producing a foamy substance from the mouth, McAleer said.
The officers determined that killing the skunk was necessary because it posed a threat to the high volume of pedestrian traffic in the area, he said.
“Our policy is to have a contractor from Facilities Management respond and deal with the situation,” McAleer said. “We’re not trained to deal with every type of animal, but we’re instructed as to what is the safest way to deal with the circumstances we’re involved in at the time.”
Facilities Management does not kill pests but instead calls Smithereen to move the animal, said Manager of Maintenance Trades Vince Geraci.
“A work order is issued to the carpenter shop and someone from there goes out and assesses the situation,” he said, “And then contacts Smithereen if they’re going to need to set a trap.”
The number of pest calls usually goes up in the summer, Geraci said. Calls are received most frequently about squirrels, followed by raccoons and then skunks. Students can help cut down on the number of incidents by refraining from feeding the animals, he said.
Dorms and fraternity and sorority houses need to be mindful of their dumpsters because squirrels are notorious for feasting in them, Geraci said. Fraternity and sorority houses must maintain their own refuse containers while Facilities Management handles all other dumpsters on campus, he said.
Unless animals pose a threat to the Northwestern community, UP does not intervene with wildlife issues, McAleer said.
“If the animal is posing a threat to humans, and we’re not able to get that type of service (Facilities Management or Smithereen),” he said. “The officers are instructed to do what they can to eliminate the threat.”
Animals should be allowed to live in peace if they don’t pose a threat to community members, Glaholt said.
“Let the animals do their thing,” she said. “We have a great habitat here for animals. We should allow them to use it as their sanctuary.”
