Lakeshore council approved a new program Tuesday night aimed at helping residents deal with sick or injured wildlife.
Ward 6 coun. Larissa Vogler’s motion called for up to $5,000 this year to fund trapping services through the municipality’s contracted animal control provider.
The service will allow animal control officers to assess concerns and, where appropriate, safely trap sick or injured wild animals for treatment or humane euthanasia.
Vogler said residents currently receive little assistance when dealing with wildlife issues and noted most other Essex County municipalities already offer a similar service.
“We, the largest geographic area, don’t offer this with probably the most wildlife. It is a safety issue. I think that it is a very affordable cost when we consider that we have a $10,000 rat abatement program, $5,000 spay/neuter program,” Vogler said.
She says the program would only cost the municipality if residents actually use it.
“For an approximate trapping cost of $70 an animal, which is the approximate cost that they currently charge, it feels like a level of service that we should offer,” she said.
She added that residents are sometimes left with few options when wildlife becomes a problem near their homes.
“I would just ask everyone to consider their mom with a little dog who can’t go outside because there is a mangy fox in the yard and they don’t know what to do. Or a mom at home with a couple of kids and the kids can’t play in the yard because a distempered raccoon has taken up housing under the deck.” Vogler said.
Council approved the motion by a vote of 7-1.
Administration has also been directed to include a proposed annual budget of up to $10,000 for the program in the 2027 municipal budget process.