By ANDY GARDNER MASSENA -- After getting complaints of fox sightings in the village, the Board of Trustees on Tuesday had a presentation from an animal control professional and a DEC officer on how …
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By ANDY GARDNER
MASSENA -- After getting complaints of fox sightings in the village, the Board of Trustees on Tuesday had a presentation from an animal control professional and a DEC officer on how residents should handle spotting the animals.
Robert Sommerfield from Sommerfield Wildlife Control and DEC Officer Troy Basford each said the foxes are likely not dangerous to humans and are unlikely to carry diseases such as rabies.
"They're feeding their young. All they're doing is grabbing a squirrel and running back," Sommerfield said. "I don't feel there is any threat to people. Maybe your pets, small ones.
"I've got an area on Urban Drive where people are keeping their cats in."
He said rabies cases, while serious, are locally rare.
"The big thing now rabies, we haven't had any in Massena for quite a long time," according to Sommerfield. He and Basford said they have both responded to cases of foxes with mange, which can be spotted by hair loss largely around the tail and constant itching.
"It's a slow, terrible death," Sommerfield said. He also said that he has received reports of rabid animals that likely were not. He said rabid animals behave unusually, such as "chasing after a car and chewing on the tire" and will not eat.
He and the DEC officer both said residents should not leave food and garbage in the open.
"Pick up garbage. Sometimes people leave food out for stray cats. Don't do that. Get all the availability of food out there away from the fox," Basford said. "Especially by waterways. They're looking for the young geese, young ducks right now."
People can trap foxes themselves, but they can't be moved from where it was caught without a special permit.
"I will let people set their own trap. Call me, and I'll take it away. That's where they're breaking the law," Sommerfield said. "I'd rather them not be handling it."
"As for strictly the state, you have the ability if it's being a nuisance to destroy the animal by any means. It's got to be a nuisance, not just running through the back yard. It's got to be destroying some property," Basford said. "We try to encourage people to leave them alone. Don't pick them up."
Sommerfield said residents who see foxes should notify him or the DEC.
"Help me out, tell me where they're going," he said.
They reported that fox sightings have been in areas including near Walmart, on Beach Street near the cemetery and on Howard Street.