Animal Control Report: Deer Call, Squirrel Capture

Animal Control officers in Alexandria deal with a variety of calls every week. Here's a glance at some recent incidents in the city courtesy of Patrick Egan of the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.

Oh, deer! — On Sept. 22, an Animal Control officer was dispatched to the 5200 block of Taney Avenue after a caller reporting seeing a deer that appeared to be sick or injured.

When the officer arrived on the scene, the deer was discovered relaxing among some trees and proved to be healthy. No further action was taken.

Alexandria Animal Control will not remove any species of native wildlife that has not entered a living space, unless it is sick, injured or posing a safety threat. Deer are considered urban wildlife and are free to roam where they like.

Squirrel capture — On Sept. 18, an Animal Control officer was dispatched to the unit block of Ellsworth Street after a caller discovered a squirrel in their home.

The officer made quick work of the squirrel, humanely capturing the critter and returning it to the wild.

Alexandria Shelter Walk — AWLA will host its second annual Alexandria Shelter Walk for Homeless Animals on Oct. 20 at Market Square in Old Town. Dogs are welcome, and walkers are encouraged to bring their canine friends.

The event is the only fundraising walk that benefits AWLA and the Vola Lawson Animal Shelter.

For more information and to register, please visit the event website.