......if you know someone, even if only a neighbor with whom you rarely converse but generally get along with, does something you regard as either unlawful, unethical or dangerous?
A neighbor from down the road approached me tonight very concerned about a guy who resides next to her place. She told me that this guy is setting arsenic laced bait traps, targeting squirrels and chipmunks. Problem is he is placing them outdoors in areas close to hers. However we're not in an urban area folks. I'm talking cottage country, where we go to enjoy nature and get away from city life.
We don't have fences. One property blends into the next, yet people here respect the invisible borders that separate us. Just so happens she also has young children and a couple dogs and is worried about the poison being accessible for them. She also is dead against the killing of wildlife.
I'm of the opinion that we as cottagers are the squatters, we are in wildlife's territory, not ours so leave them alone. I'm not PETA, so I view this as borderline sick (IMHO). One of the animals he's trying to kill is a red squirrel which I believe is an endangered species here in Ontario. There are also trapping laws but not sure if they apply here. It's not that these animals are living in or damaging his cabin, he just wants them gone. I call it the Toronto mentality, a reference to our nearest big city, this guy's place of residence when not here and a place where some think you have to be crazy to live there.
My wife is majorly upset also. Most people here have feeders out for these critters and we enjoy watching their antics. Personally I'm willing to risk rural Armageddon by confronting the guy but people don't want any incidents, only peacefully preserve what we have now . It must be discrete, hush hush. Since they won't do it my way, the lady is going to contact the local township and humane society to check on rules and regulations. We'll go from there and plan the next move.
A neighbor from down the road approached me tonight very concerned about a guy who resides next to her place. She told me that this guy is setting arsenic laced bait traps, targeting squirrels and chipmunks. Problem is he is placing them outdoors in areas close to hers. However we're not in an urban area folks. I'm talking cottage country, where we go to enjoy nature and get away from city life.
We don't have fences. One property blends into the next, yet people here respect the invisible borders that separate us. Just so happens she also has young children and a couple dogs and is worried about the poison being accessible for them. She also is dead against the killing of wildlife.
I'm of the opinion that we as cottagers are the squatters, we are in wildlife's territory, not ours so leave them alone. I'm not PETA, so I view this as borderline sick (IMHO). One of the animals he's trying to kill is a red squirrel which I believe is an endangered species here in Ontario. There are also trapping laws but not sure if they apply here. It's not that these animals are living in or damaging his cabin, he just wants them gone. I call it the Toronto mentality, a reference to our nearest big city, this guy's place of residence when not here and a place where some think you have to be crazy to live there.
My wife is majorly upset also. Most people here have feeders out for these critters and we enjoy watching their antics. Personally I'm willing to risk rural Armageddon by confronting the guy but people don't want any incidents, only peacefully preserve what we have now . It must be discrete, hush hush. Since they won't do it my way, the lady is going to contact the local township and humane society to check on rules and regulations. We'll go from there and plan the next move.