Tips for handling spring animal concerns

Posted: Thursday, April 26, 2012

Spring often brings an increase in animal complaints to the Minnetonka Police Department. The most often-cited concern: turkeys and dogs at large.

Wild turkeys

The number of wild turkeys in the city varies throughout the year due to new hatchings, predators and the migration of the birds. Follow these tips to help discourage turkeys from taking up long-term residency in your neighborhood:

• Don’t feed birds or other wildlife.
• Use loud noises to scare off turkeys.
• Opening and closing an umbrella as you walk toward turkeys is often seen as a threatening display and will chase them from your “territory.”

Dogs at large

Dogs must be maintained on a leash when on the trails and in the maintained parts of the parks. In neighborhoods, a dog may be off-leash, but only directly at heel beside their handler.

Most Minnetonka parks contain off-leash (unmaintained) areas, but these areas are not fenced so verbal control must be maintained at all time. A dog that is not within eyesight of its owner/handler is not considered under control and could be subject to a citation. And, as always, please be sure to pick up after your dog.