is calling on dumpster owners to take measures to prevent wildlife from getting trapped in drainage holes.
The request comes after the fourth skunk in two weeks got its head stuck in a bin searching for food in 麻豆传媒映画on Saturday.
It took up to five hours to rescue this baby skunk after it got its head trapped in a dumpster drainage hole. Photograph By CRITTER CARE WILDLIFE SOCIETY
Nathan Wagstaffe, an animal care supervisor at the Langley centre, says it鈥檚 unusual for this to be happening so often.
He believes the skunks are getting stuck in newer dumpsters with flawed designs.
"We鈥檝e had one or two occasionally, but nothing like this high demand," Wagstaffe says.
"Usually skunks get their heads stuck in ice cream tubs or coffee cups or things along them lines."
Photograph By CRITTER CARE WILDLIFE SOCIETY
The dumpsters have drainage holes just big enough for a skunk to squeeze its head in but not out.
"I think it's a bad design. It鈥檚 frustrating more than anything, because it鈥檚 almost like neglect," Wagstaffe says.
"They are not thinking about the consequences of having a design like this.
"It is fall, and moving towards winter, so the skunks are getting hungrier, so they鈥檙e searching for more food and smell it coming from the dumpsters and they're sticking their heads in."
In some cases it has taken up to five hours to save a skunk. Each rescue has also required the 麻豆传媒映画Fire Rescue Services' help and on two occasions a grind saw was needed to release the little critters.
Of the four skunks, sadly one could not be saved.
鈥淭wo of them are currently with us still and one of them was trapped and released within an hour,鈥� Wagstaffe says.
鈥淭hey are on antibiotics and pain relief, but because it is a neck injury it is a high-risk area, so it鈥檚 not to say they can鈥檛 have complications down the line, but so far they are slowly making a good recovery.鈥�
The City of 麻豆传媒映画sanitation team says the City does not have dumpster design guidelines specifically requiring mesh over any ventilation or drainage holes.
However, the聽聽states that all private contractors must not "cause, permit, suffer or allow rain or pests to enter a private container."
CCWS assistant executive director Winona Reinsma hopes raising awareness will help solve the issue.
鈥淚t is quite devastating because the owners of the dumpsters could do something about it,鈥� Reinsma says.
鈥淢esh would be an easy fix, the bins would still drain, it wouldn鈥檛 cause a problem and we wouldn鈥檛 be risking the wildlife.鈥�
CCWS provides short and long-term care and rehabilitation to mammal species native to B.C.
If you find an animal in need of help contact the CCWS hospital聽line聽(604) 530-2064聽right away.
