NEWS
10 • Thursday, March 22, 2018
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Coyotes, Foxes and Other Woodland Neighbors Are Coming Too Close for Comfort in Some OTM Areas By William C. Singleton III
Hills used cages to catch coyotes. But this measure wasn’t successful because, like Wile E. Coyote of Looney Tunes fame, the real canines proved too wise to enter the bait traps, Downes said. However, over a two-week period using the trapping service, 14 coyotes were captured and “dispatched,” or euthanized. The traps were set on private property with the permission of the homeowners, who were experi-
Living with the woods as your backyard is a luxury many Over the Mountain residents enjoy. But this close-up view of nature includes close encounters with wildlife. It’s not unusual to find coyotes, foxes, raccoons and other wildlife romping through residential backyards and neighborhoods. But being close to nature can mean problems, too. Recently, the city of Vestavia Hills hired West Alabama Wildlife Services to trap coyotes that are coming too close to homes and neighborhoods. The city has received numerous complaints of increased coyote sightings. “The particular wildlife that seems to get worse and worse each year is the coyotes,” said city manager Jeff Downes. Their increased presence has worried residents that their pets and children could be in danger, he added. The city has traditionally handled complaints through education, such as informing residents on steps they can take to prevent coyotes from encroaching further into the suburbs. These steps include keeping open food and water off back porches and out of backyards and keeping pets on a leash when out in the neighborhood, which also is in keeping with city ordinance. But the problem still persisted, Downes said, leading to more aggressive measures. At one point, Vestavia
‘A big part of our community is to preserve natural areas. And those are places where these kinds of animals are going to be attracted to and stay in.’ SCOTT MCBRAYER, HOMEWOOD MAYOR
encing problems with coyotes encroaching onto their backyards, Downes said. Some of the coyotes caught had mange, a skin disease caused by the proliferation of mites on an animal’s body. “Some didn’t have any hair,” Downes said. “Some were diseased. They weren’t in the best of conditions. … When you have diseased coyotes, they can come into backyards and in contact with pets and can
pass on this disease to pets and possibly pass it on to humans.” Capturing and removing coyotes was necessary from a health and safety perspective, he added. Downes said the city hired the trapping service for only two weeks and will evaluate the situation as necessary. When the weather gets warmer, the problem decreases because coyotes aren’t on the move as much. They also have enough food in their natural environment and don’t need to venture into neighborhoods to find other food sources, Downes said. “If we need to revisit this again, we’ll do so. But we’re just watching now,” he said.
A Regional Issue
Other Over the Mountain areas also have their share of problems with wildlife intruding into suburban areas, but not to the degree Vestavia Hills has had to deal with this year. Preston Sloan, Mountain Brook’s animal control officer, said sightings of coyotes and foxes aren’t unusual in his city. But that’s to be expected when your city is situated close to woods and forests. “I get several calls from people seeing coyotes and foxes,” Sloan said. “But as long as they’re healthy and rightfully scared of people, I don’t think it’s a problem.” The city would likely take action if there are reports of wildlife acting strangely, which would suggest
they’re sick, he said. “If they’re concerned because they’re acting strange, and they’re not scared of them, they should call and I’ll come check it out,” Preston said. Homewood’s situation is similar, Mayor Scott McBrayer said. Sightings of coyotes and foxes are enough to keep the animal control officer’s phone ringing. Occasionally, the city – with the consultation of its animal control officer and police chief – hires a company to set traps for wildlife that may pose a health risk or danger to residents and their pets. “A big part of our community is to preserve natural areas,” the mayor said. “And those are places where these kinds of animals are going to be attracted to and stay in.” Hoover Officer Brian Hale said that the city isn’t experiencing any increased sightings of coyotes or other wildlife, based on the calls it receives. “Sometimes, the speed of social media might add to the perception that there are more incidents, but the reality is that it’s about the same as any other year,” he said. Hale said education and communication are important in dealing with these type situations. “Hoover animal control officers will work with a neighborhood and communicate what is going on and how it can minimize the chances of encouraging the animal from staying in the area,” he said. He said it’s also important for resi-
A New Home for The Dandé Lion After 45 Years Lane Park Road Shop Relocating to Canterbury Road
By Sarah Kuper
Journal photo by Sarah Kuper
The Dandé Lion shop in Mountain Brook Village is a favorite for Over the Mountain seekers of classic furnishings. But the much-loved store soon will vacate its space at the intersection of Lane Park Road and Cahaba Road after 45 years at the location. The shop will remain a fixture of the village as it moves only a few streets away to Canterbury Road. While the move may require some careful packaging of fragile furnishings, shop owner Joann Long said that’s no problem. The problem is fitting her current inventory into the new, smaller space. That’s why, lucky for customers, Long is offering deep discounts on fine wares during the Dandé Lion moving sale. “I need my customers to come now because I have less square footage over there,” Long said, “I have over 500 lamps in here and I cannot physically
have 500 lamps over there. I can probably have 410 if I really work at it.” Besides lamps, The Dandé Lion stocks accessories such as bookends, pillows and gifts. Porcelain creatures,
Joann Long has bittersweet emotions about leaving the old shopping center behind because it is a reminder of simpler times.
elegant frames and serving pieces are tucked in among antique trunks, etageres, chests of drawers and sideboards. The shop offers china, crystal and
flatware along with silk florals. The Dandé Lion also stocks the much sought after Byar’s Choice carolers for Christmas décor. Long said the move was sparked by the new Lane Parke shopping development. She said there were rumors of her having a bad attitude toward the property’s owners because of the changes, but she said that wasn’t true. “I always said the owner of the property had the right to do what he wanted to do,” Long said, “It is just the way life goes and you just move on along.” Long has bittersweet emotions about leaving the old shopping center behind because it is a reminder of simpler times. “This was a very unique set up. You had everything you needed: drug store, grocery store, dime store, a dress shop, a coffee shop, a book store, the liquor store, the post office and the Dandé Lion,” Long said, “The only thing you couldn’t have done on this sidewalk
dents to distinguish between “just a sighting” and situations that need “immediate assistance.” If immediate assistance is needed, an animal control officer will respond to the area as soon as he can, Hale said. “The officer will evaluate and attempt to determine if the animal is just ‘passing through’ or remaining in the area. If the animal is remaining in the area, animal control will work with a contracted wildlife expert, or trapper,” he said. “They will monitor the situation to see if the same animal is coming back or if a different one is in the area. If the situation warrants, they will make every effort to trap the animal.”
Don’t Leave Food Out
Here are some tips animal control specialists offer to minimize encounters with wild animals. • Don’t leave food out for domesticated pets. If wild animals think they can get an easy meal, they’ll take it! • Don’t let small pets roam free. • Secure garbage containers. • If you’re outdoors and a wild animal is in your vicinity, make noise, shout, clap your hands and raise your arms to make yourself look bigger; the ideal is to scare it away. But get inside as soon as possible and call your local animal control officer. • If you see a wild animal that is possibly sick or acting strangely, and it doesn’t run off, animal control should be contacted immediately. ❖ was go to the doctor.” She said she believes that type of old-fashioned arrangement is a thing of the past, but she’s happy the business her mother started almost 50 years ago will be a part of Canterbury Road’s shopping options. Long hopes to have her new shop open by June. For now, she is trying to sell as much merchandise as she can. She said she has seen a lot of support and business from loyal customers, but she is hoping to draw from a wider clientele. Long said she knows it is harder to draw in younger shoppers simply because they do most of their shopping online. “We can beat online prices most all the time and you can take it home and try it, not have to worrying about unboxing it or putting it together,” she said. Shopping on site also means customers can ask questions about merchandise and ask for help, said Long, who takes pride in her store’s customer service. And The Dandé Lion will take care of shipping items if necessary. The moving sale is on until the shop relocates. Sale items are cash or check only. ❖