Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Does the city Animal Control Department handle foxes, skunks and squirrels when they take up residence on city residents’ property?
In Clovis, the city’s Animal Control Department traps foxes and skunks in an agreement with the New Mexico Department of Game & Fish, according to Animal Control Supervisor Larry Jacquez.
“People who have a problem with foxes and skunks call us. Right now there’s a waiting list for the traps,” Jacquez said.
Jacquez said the department gets calls “once or twice a week” about someone having a fox on their property.
“Once the fox is trapped it is euthanized as per the Game & Fish Department,” Jacquez said.
He added foxes are known rabies carriers. The city hasn’t had reports of rabies from foxes recently.
“They’re just trying to survive,” Jacquez said of their commonality in Clovis.
In Portales, Kelly McClellan is animal control supervisor.
“If a property owner has concerns about wildlife causing a nuisance on their property, we recommend calling the NM Game and Fish or Portales Animal Control,” McClellan wrote in an email response.
Depending on the situation, traps are commonly set on the property to catch the wildlife.
“If it’s in good health, it’s released back into the wild where it won’t be a nuisance to people. If its health is in question, we make sure to consult NM Game and Fish before taking any action,” McClellan wrote.
Jacquez said calls come in regarding skunks mostly on the outskirts of the city.
Squirrels are apparently a different matter.
“We don’t really do much with squirrels,” Jacquez said.
If squirrels have moved into someone’s home, Jacquez said Clovis Animal Control can’t do anything.
“We can’t go there: Attics, in or under houses for safety reasons. We don’t really deal with them,” Jacquez said.
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