Wandering around class buildings, through the Brickyard and campus roads, animals have a continuing presence on campus dealt with by several local organizations.
Animal sightings by students range from domestic animals to wild animals, but often create dangerous situations on the roads and threaten personal safety.
Tracey Alford, supervisor of the Animal Control Unit of Raleigh, explained the animals’ presence in the city causes problems not only to students, but also to the animals.
“Students are advised to call the Raleigh Animal Control [if they see an animal] so no one gets hurt,” Alford said. “It is common for animals to be hurt in cities with a high population like Raleigh.”
Alford said the Animal Control unit of Raleigh frequently receives calls from campus and the surrounding areas.
“The N.C. Wildlife [Resources Commission] tells us how to handle situations. It isn’t really uncommon for us to get calls from students and faculty,” Alford said.
Students have also shown concern for the animals’ safety.
“I have a lot of classes on Centennial and always see deer. I feel like I am going to accidentally hit them one day,” Ann Miller Finch, sophomore in fashion and textile management, said.
Alford said student calls are not limited to deer on the roads and often concern animals in dormitories and within campus.
“We get calls about anything from deer in the roads to bats in the dorms. Not only are we concerned with the safety of the animals, but also we are concerned with the safety of people because these animals could be dangerous,” Alford said.
Animals retrieved by the Animal Control Unit are normally euthanized if dangerous or taken to Wake Country animal shelters like the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
The SPCA, which is devoted to humane treatment of animals, takes animals from “high-kill” shelters to find them a home, many of which come from Animal Control.
Despite the work by Animal Control and SPCA of Wake County, Finch said she would like to see fewer wild animals around campus, but doesn’t know a solution.
“I hope to see improvements made with the animal control on campus,” Finch said. “It is dangerous for the animals to be around the busy roads on campus.”
