Urge Windsor, Ontario, to Halt Skunk Killing

PETA

Please send sample letter or your own words protesting the proposed killing of skunks in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. You’ll receive a couple “out-of-office” replies, but thus far all emails worked for me.

SOURCE: PETA

BACKGROUND

According to news sources, the city of Windsor, Ontario, is considering trapping and killing unwanted skunks who live in the city. The council has already allocated funds for this cruel plan, and now it’s just sorting out the details!

Killing skunks won’t work to control populations and will backfire. The spike in the food supply will prompt remaining animals and newcomers to breed at accelerated rates, meaning that the skunk population will increase! Lethal methods are also extremely cruel, tearing families apart and leaving young animals vulnerable to death by starvation or dehydration.

Please politely urge Windsor officials to toss their skunk-eradication program and stick with effective, humane wildlife control measures instead.


WHOM TO CONTACT

Please e-mail Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis and the Windsor City Council using this block of e-mail addresses (copy and paste this list into your “To” field):

mayoro@city.windsor.on.ca; ddilkens@city.windsor.on.ca; rjones@city.windsor.on.ca; fvalentinis@city.windsor.on.ca; ahalberstadt@city.windsor.on.ca; esleiman@city.windsor.on.ca; joagignac@city.windsor.on.ca; phatfield@city.windsor.on.ca; bmarra@city.windsor.on.ca; hpayne@city.windsor.on.ca; amaghnieh@city.windsor.on.ca



SAMPLE LETTER

Dear Honourable Francis and City Council Members:

I am writing regarding the city of Windsor, Ontario’s plan to consider trapping and killing unwanted skunks who live in the city.  Although this idea is inherently cruel based on the premise alone, it is important to recognize it is based on erroneous information.

Please allow me to illustrate a few of these concerns. First, ecologically, populations will fluctuate according to conditions and naturally-occurring food sources; it is the interference of humans that causes imbalance. To blame and slaughter the skunks for human encroachment is both irresponsible and unjustified.

Second, killing the skunks artificially increases food supplies to the remaining skunks, the consequence of which is increased reproduction and an ensuing greater skunk population. In fact, studies have demonstrated that the continual cycle of seasonal killing is responsible for a rebound, or larger populations, in subsequent years.

Third, this type of mass killing using such a brutal type of slaughter in such a central and visible location would certainly adversely affect both visitation and tourism; it would be financially detrimental to continue with such a cruel and unnecessary killing, and although I do not currently reside in Windsor, I would be unwilling to consider it, or nearby, as a potential vacation destination if this cull continues.

Fourth, this type of cull would leave families torn apart, and young and weak animals would starve or die of dehydration.

Please instead examine alternative, non-lethal humane wildlife options such as fencing and making properties unattractive using food storage and other strategies, which, according to established protocols when using these methods, have all proven successful in curtailing animal populations.

I know your time is limited and I want to thank you each for your attention to this urgent matter.

NAME

to you the skunk is a pest
but skunks are mothers
doing their best
skunks are fathers, babies
and such,
in this way
skunklife resembles
ours, very much
skunks have feelings
they just want to be
killing is cruelty
and a gross tragedy

Karen Lyons Kalmenson