Skunk invasion in northeast Calgary prompts Taradale petition

One Calgary resident is fed up with stinky skunksin northeast Calgary.

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"Every morning you wake up to the smell of skunk. And sometimes, around suppertime, it's so bad that you can't even eat your supper," said Tiffany Martinson.

She says the skunks are digging up yards all over Greenview, where she lives, and has also heard they're a big problem this year in Forest Lawn and Abbeydale.

His tail was up. He was coming right for her.- Tiffany Martinson

Right nowresidents must set their own traps and call pest control to take away the critters.

Martinson says it costs $200 to remove each skunk.

Shehas launched an online petition asking the city to foot the bill and take immediate actionin Taradale where her mother lives.

She says there are 12 skunks running wild, and one even chasedher motherup the front steps of her house.

'He was coming right for her'

"His tail was up. He was coming right for her," said Martinson.

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The Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conservation has responded to the skunk petition on Facebook.

"They really need to feel threatened to spray because after they do spray, it takes about 10 days for them to replenish their supply," executive director Holly Duvall told theCalgary Eyeopener.

Duvall adds that residents can peacefully co-exist with the mammals by monitoring their dogs in their yardat night andkeeping them on a leashwhen they go for walks.

Martinson says she doesn'tbelieve that will solve the immediate problem and plans topresent her petition to Calgary city council once she gets 1,000 signatures.