RFP Staff
♦ After two years of West End residents complaining at City Hall led SNAG meetings about the number of wild animals in the infamous Vanderford “Spite Hole” (a stormwater runoff surrounded by a virtual weed jungle at Vanderford, West Bank, and Horah Streets in the West End) and with no response from the city of Salisbury, Councilman Kenny Hardin reached out recently to County Commissioner Craig Pierce and Animal Control Director Clai Martin.
The Vanderford “Spite Hole”:
Commissioner Pierce accompanied Councilman Hardin over to the City owned stormwater runoff, known as the Vanderford “Spite Hole”, at the corner of West Bank and Vanderford Streets to observe. After seeing the wild animals firsthand and the damage they’ve created to the community’s personal property, Commissioner Pierce called County Animal Control Services Director Clai Martin on the spot and he and his crew came out early the next day to set humane traps.
Over the past week they’ve set traps daily and caught four large raccoons and a 40 pound groundhog (pictured below). For the next 30 days, the County is committed to setting traps and relocating the sewer rats, snakes, groundhogs, and raccoons that overran the area and terrorized residents for years. Below are previous articles appearing in the Rowan Free Press about the infamous Vanderford “Spite Hole” Salisbury’s natural varmit preserve.
“Brutus” the 40 pound groundhog:
“A Photo Safari: Meltdown of Salisbury City Services Creates Green Hell”:
A Photo Safari: Meltdown of Salisbury City Services Creates Green Hell
“Understaffed City Halts Cleanup of the Vanderford “Spite Hole”. Neighbors Livid after 10 Years of City Neglect”:
“Rack” the Raccoon:
Brutus:
