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WILDLIFE IN LOUISVILLE BEFORE YOUR VACATION. . . Warm weather is here and the hills are alive with the sound A vacation should be a pleasant experience for you and of music -and lots of animals that are part of our city's your family. Taking a few simple precautions can reduce landscape. the chance of your home being burglarized while you are The City of Louisville complies a` gone. with guidelines issued by the Colorado Division of Wildlife.That A few days before you leave: means that the City does not interfere with wildlife,it is the responsibility of the property • Notify your newspaper to put your subscription on a owner. Our Code Enforcement Officers have self-help guides vacation hold. for dealing with many wildlife problems,but prevention is the • Notify the post office to put your mail delivery on a best way to handle these resourceful urban animals. *Skunks and raccoons will eat almost anything including vacation hold. dog or cat food and garbage.Birdseed is frequently • Ask a neighbor to pick up any newspapers, mail, overlooked as a food that is attractive to both skunks and flyers or circulars that might show up despite your raccoons.Fruit trees and vegetable gardens also attract efforts. Give them a key and let them know where or wildlife. If you feed these animals,intentionally or not, how you can be reached in an emergency. Include they will continue to visit you. phone numbers for your contacts and a description *Prevent access to crawl spaces, sheds,under decks, of your car with its license number. window wells and under concrete slabs.These are natural • Consider taking exceedingly valuable personal items breeding and nesting places. Screen chimney tops to and putting them in a safe deposit box while you are prevent animals from being trapped in your chimney gone. Include records of serial numbers for property during their nocturnal explorations. in your house. *Don't leave pets outside at night. Skunks are docile • Notify the police department about your departure enough to be easily killed by your family pet.But that means a good,long-lasting dose of skunk scent all over and return dates. The Louisville Police Department Fido or Fluffy. However,a mature raccoon does "vacation checks"on homes while residents is capable of killing or seriously injuring are gone,but you must come by the Police your pet.In both instances,rabies is a Department and complete a request form. concern for the owner of a domestic • Make arrangements to have your grass cut and • the risk of rabies,when skunks are watered while you are gone. trapped,the law requires that they be killed rather than released. On the day you leave: Please remember that unless your remove the conditions that attract the animals,they will be replaced by others. If you • Plug in timers to turn on lights and a radio on and have questions,please call and talk to one of our Code off at appropriate times to create the appearance that Enforcement Officers at (303) 666-8633. your home is occupied. ME MEI • Unplug electrical appliances such as televisions, DEMONSTRATION GARDEN computers, etc. to prevent possible damage during The City joined forces with volunteers from the Trowel and electrical storms. Error Garden Club to create a xeriscape demonstration • Don't leave a message on your telephone answering garden at the Arts Center, 801 Grant Avenue.The garden machine telling callers that you are gone on vacation. consists of 2200 square feet of plants that need little or no • Close and lock all windows and sliding doors. Place supplemental water.An irrigation system with an wooden dowels on sliders to prevent them from underground grid of pipes and emitters waters the garden being opened. twice a week.The system is designed to conserve water and • Any car left in your driveway should be locked. A might even be turned off completely as the project progresses. The City paid for the materials and design services and garden neighbor's car parked in your driveway can help club members donate their services by maintaining the create the appearance that your home is occupied. garden.This includes weeding,adding mulch and doing • Lock all your doors and take a final walk around general maintenance when needed.We invite everyone to visit your home to check all the doors and windows. the garden and see how much can be done with xeriscape. A big thanks to the members of Trowel and Error Garden Enjoy yourself! Club for all of their great efforts!! Summer 2000 1