City May Hire Outside Firm After Family Ordeal with Skunk

Lyn M. and Jonathan R. Toscano place a chair and sign over a dead skunk in front of their Westminster Avenue home. (Courtesy photograph.)

The City of Haverhill is looking into hiring a service to collect dead animals after a Westminster Avenue family complained this week no one was available to pick up a skunk in front of their home.

Lyn M. Toscano, 42 Westminster Ave., said she came home late Monday afternoon to find what she believed to be a rabid skunk dragging itself between her property and a neighbor’s and then back again.

“I watched this poor suffering guy for five hours, tip over, roll in the street, etc. before I finally went to bed,” Toscano said. In the morning, she found it dead. During the ordeal, she said her husband, Jonathan, called animal control, Haverhill police and the mayor’s office, but found no one was available to help until Wednesday.

Worried that students walking to John Greenleaf Whittier and Pentucket Lake Schools might come across the dead skunk, the Toscanos placed a chair over the animal and erected a cardboard sign.

“Rabid Skunk!! Keep dogs and children away,” the sign read. Then, there was snowfall.

David S. Van Dam, chief of staff to Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini, told WHAV one of two animal control officers was out sick Tuesday. “We are looking into a service that will pick up dead rodents on demand,” he said.

6 thoughts on “City May Hire Outside Firm After Family Ordeal with Skunk

  1. Oh Jack , you complimented somebody and actually gave me hope that you were becoming fully human and then you get on and insult somebody else. Old habits die hard.

  2. Haverhill Animal control does a great job. Have had many situations over they years and they have always responded and taken care of the situation. The state folks are useless. All they do is drive around and sit in their trucks.

  3. We had a similar situation down here. Animal Control doesn’t handle wildlife. Wildlife Office doesn’t remove carcasses. Now we have rabies outbreaks in at least 5 spots across the county.

    • Sorry, that isn’t true. Haverhill Animal Control Office Michelle Hamel has removed several dead animals in my area over the years. She does an outstanding job!!!