Buddy Allard ponders the situation after encountering a skunk
It is skunk season on the North Shore, as evidenced by the number of dead skunks on the streets and pesky critters spotted (or smelled) in yards, and the population seems to be growing.
Squirrels and raccoons used to be the No. 1 complaint among customers of John Hagan, owner of Animal Control Specialists in Northbrook, but skunks have claimed the top spot in the past four to five years.
According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) website, skunks are prevalent in urban areas, particular those along railroads because tracks provide travel ways and denning sites. Skunks typically don’t make their own homes, but create dens from burrows made by other animals. But during the warmer weather skunks tend to den above ground, and may sleep under porches, stoops, decks, sheds, or foundations.
And then there is the smell. When feeling threatened, a skunk will spray an attacker with a musk of butyl mercaptan, which omits a strong sulfur-smelling odor.
“Please someone get me out of here!” … A pooch gets groomed at Yuppy Puppy in LaKe Bluff after being sprayed by a skunk; photo courtesy of groomer Annie Kane
Hagen said that during the summer most customers complain about skunks denning under a portion of their house. When a skunk sprays in its den, the entire house smells. Hagen noted that the odor is so strong, people frequently call the fire department because it smells like burning rubber.
Nocturnal by nature, skunks are members of the weasel family and are omnivores, but prefer to eat insects such as grubs. During the fall, skunks eat a lot of food to build up a thick layer of fat by the end of October, according to the IDNR website. The animals build up this reserve to hold them through the winter, when they spend most of their time sleeping in their dens.
First a skunk, now a shower? Yuppy Puppy client gets the treatment from groomer Annie Kane
That might explain why so many residents find holes all over their yards in late September. Skunks dig through the grass in search of grub worms and insects. And of course, when skunks take up residence in a yard, inevitably, the family dog encounters the smelly creatures.
So what’s the best way to deal with skunks?
The No. 1 solution is prevention. According to the villages of Wilmette and Glencoe, residents should keep pet food indoors, secure garbage cans, clear any fruit that has fall from trees, remove brush piles and seal all holes or other entrance points where a skunk may want to take up residence. Topical applications can be applied to lawns to remove grubs.
Hagan recommends turning on a light or making a loud noise before letting your dog out at night. “Skunks don’t want to spray, it is a last resort. Give them a chance to flee,” he said.
But if you find that a skunk has taken up residence at your house, under Illinois law you are not permitted to trap a skunk without a permit issued by IDNR. Businesses like Hagan’s are licensed by the IDNR to trap and remove skunks. Because of a risk of rabies, control agencies are required by law to euthanize skunks after they trap them.
Deskunking is serious business at Yuppy Puppy in Lake Bluff, but this dog looks like it just wants to go home …
Groomer Annie Kane said Yuppy Puppy in Lake Bluff has been treating many freshly sprayed dogs this fall. “Most dogs seem to take a hit from Pepe Le Pew by the face, which is a harder area to deskunk as one has to be so cautious of the eyes,” she said. “At Yuppy Puppy we administer protective eye wash to all dogs to prevent shampoo from causing irritation to the eyes.”
Regardless of whether the dog gets sprayed in the face or elsewhere, it’s best to get treatment started immediately. “The sooner dogs get their deskunk bath after being sprayed, the better chance we have of getting the smell off,” she said, adding that some industry professionals find it is beneficial to put on the deskunk shampoo before even wetting the dog down.
The Human Society recommends applying a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and dish washing detergent. While this solution may alleviate some of the smell, it is also recommended that you follow up with a visit to a professional groomer.
And be aware that this hydrogen peroxide mixture may cause your dog’s fur to change colors. That is what happened to Wilmette resident Erin Lyons, whose dog was skunked over Labor Day weekend when all of the local groomers were closed. When Lyons applied the hydrogen peroxide mixture to her dog Charcoal, its fur went from black to brown.
“We did our best to dissipate the odor but let’s just say the skunk won in the end,” Lyons said.