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Wildlife Concerns
The Town of Boonton has a large wildlife population that includes black bears, fox, coyotes, opossum, rabbits, raccoons, skunks, and, of course, deer. In most cases, if these animals are in your neighborhood, it is because there is a food source. Containing or removing the food source will force these animals to look for food in other areas.
What to Do . . .
If you have unwanted or nuisance wildlife or on your property, you should not take matters into your own hands. You may not set inhumane traps that injure an animal or in any other way cause injury to such animals. Such acts are considered Animal Cruelty, and are punishable by a significant fine and possible jail time. Please call the Health Department to inquire about next steps. If it is after hours, please call the Boonton Police Department.
If you attempt to trap an animal you must use a humane trap (have a heart), and if caught you must release the animal within the town limits of Boonton. Any rabies vector species of animal may not be transported and released anywhere else. The Animal Control Officer strongly suggests you do not trap animals yourself, since you could be bitten when trying to release them, or sprayed by a skunk. If you have nuisance wildlife you are strongly urged to contact a pest control company that can provide these services at your expense. You may contact the Health Department or search a local business directory for suggestions of companies that can provide this service.
Helpful Tips . . .
- Place your garbage at the curb on the morning of pick-up, have a secure lid on your garbage cans, and store your garbage in a secure area
- Do not feed the birds (except in winter - if you do enjoy feeding the birds, place bird feeders at least twelve feet in the air and away from your home)
- If you find a wildlife baby of any species, DO NOT TOUCH! Most of the time the mother is nearby
- Observe the animal for a period of time and contact Animal Control or the police if you believe the animal is injured
- Just because a raccoon or skunk is out during the day does not mean that it has rabies. Observe the animal and contact the police if it is making a strange noise, is unable to climb, is falling over, or walking in circles
- In the spring, the deer give birth in our backyards. It is normal for deer to leave their newborn fawns in our yards for up to eighteen hours. The only time intervention should take place is if the fawn starts to cry and is walking around looking for its mother, or if there are flies around it. Otherwise, it is very normal to have them in our neighborhood yards into the late evening
- Fox, coyote, and bears are not nocturnal animals. They may be seen anytime of the day or night. If the animal appears to be sick, injured, or aggressive, then it should be reported to the Police
Bats
Bats are also prevalent in the Town of Boonton, living in tall structures, old buildings, trees, caves, cracks in buildings, bridges, and even the attic of a
house or business. Animal Control will respond if you find a bat in your living space. Bats found in your attic, basement, chimney, or garage are considered a nuisance. In such cases you should contact a pest control company to humanely remove them. You must also repair the hole or other method used by the bats to enter these structures, otherwise they will certainly return.