Last year I wrote a column for the Journal Tribune of Biddeford, Maine dated Sept. 13, 2017 and titled “Waiting for the store to empty before shooting a squirrel.”
Since then I have investigated the situation further, gathered facts and gotten top corporate officials involved. The store in question is on South Main in Sanford, Maine and is part of a national chain with thousands of outlets around the country.
I contacted both the CEO and Chairman of the company and they forwarded my concerns to a Regional Vice President. This vice-president and I spoke on the phone many times over a period of months as she gathered the facts and investigated the situation. I supplied her with any knowledge I had.
The result of this investigation was that the squirrel likely entered the building through the freight door and became trapped when that door was closed. The animal was in the store for at least three days and to my knowledge without food or water.
It was ascertained that the reason store employees did not open the freight door to let the animal out was “it is a safety issue.” If the employees were worried that someone might enter the store unseen through the freight door while they were there they could have put a motion detector at the door, the same one many stores use to inform them that someone had just entered the store though the front door.
They also could have lowered the door to just a few inches from the floor and then jammed the door guide with a screw driver preventing anyone from sneaking in and surprising them, then putting some food and water by the door allowing the squirrel to escape.
Sanford Animal Control could have handled the situation for the store as soon as the store realized it had a squirrel trapped in the store. I asked a store employee if they had contacted Animal Control, which is just down the street from them, and was told that they had.
I met with Lauren Masellas, Sanford’s Animal Control officer, just a few days after I was at the store which was July 13, 2017. She informed me that the store had not contacted her.
The Regional Vice President decided to visit the Sanford, Maine store to talk to the employees herself. She was told that the store employees had thrown a cover over a large box that the squirrel got into and that they took the box outside and set the squirrel free. They said the squirrel has never returned. When animals have such a traumatic experience they will never return – would you?
The collective poor judgement at the store is obvious. The response of corporate officials has been superb. The company took my concerns seriously and they took my suggestion to write some corporate polices dealing with animals caught in their stores.
Some policy highlights:
• If an employee finds an animal in a store he/she must report it to the supervisor.
• Animal control is to be contacted if necessary.
• Intentional harm to an animal will lead to disciplinary action including termination.
All businesses need to take notice that harming and being unkind to animals will not be tolerated. Not only is it wrong, it can be disastrous. With social media, uncaring businesses could find themselves in trouble with the law and with their customers.
I have contacted Maine State Senator Susan Deschambault and she is interested in legislation that is protective of animals and based on humane traps and she said a bill could be summited next session. Everyone that I have talked to from animal control officer, to police officer and the general public all favor this legislation.
I lived in a very large condo complex once and every morning two squirrels would come over my roof and entertain me in my small fenced patio. Not only did they enjoy the nuts I set out for them, they played and chased each other to my amusement. When I left the condo complex I found another person in the complex to put out nuts for them. These animals made me smile and always gave me a new good start for the day. Animals bring joy.
If you live in the South Main Street part of Sanford and you had squirrels visiting you before July 13, 2017 and they abruptly stopped coming, please write me at P O Box 1513, Sanford, Maine 04073.
Thor Nielsen is an International Economist who resides in York County, Maine.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
