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[quote=Anonymous]I'm not sure how to handle a situation. I am visiting a family member out of state. They started keeping chickens in the backyard, but it is against their city code. It seems like many people do it there and it just isn't really monitored. It doesn't seem to be a big deal. Just 4 chickens, no rooster. My sibling told me that because of the chicken feed, they are starting to get small animals. Rats in the shed, squirrels, and 2 skunks. They live near the mountains, so these animals are not out of the norm. They are keeping a 'humane' trap that traps the animals live to keep them from the chickens, their shed, and creating nests in they ard. Then, (this is the part that disturbs me) my brother shoots them with a bb gun after he finds them in the trap. He doesn't enjoy this, but does it just to get rid of the animals. He used to let the squirrels go, but then he found items in their shed that had been chewed through and ruined. He released the first skunk somewhere, but he actually (this part is what I can't get past) drowned the second skunk. I don't know how he did it- I didn't ask. He was embarrassed to tell me. I felt like he knew it was bad, but he must not be willing to deal with releasing them humanely because of the time and effort it takes. He just wants the quickest solution.
Before they got the chickens, they would get rats sometimes in their shed and he'd shoot them. He doesn't own real guns, just a BB gun or pellet gun of some sort. He's so busy and I think it's just a matter of not having time to do it the humane way. He's not an animal lover like me, and doesn't seem to feel bad for doing it, but just feels bad because he knows it's not 'right'. Not bad enough to stop doing it, but bad enough to keep it quiet.
Part of me wants to report them for the chickens because then it would stop the issue, but the kids love the chickens, and he'd still be shooting the rats.
Part of me wants to report the killing of the skunk, but maybe I'm the only one he's told and I don't want their family to be mad at me. Their kids love the chickens, and they' say it's none of my business.
I am an animal lover and passionate about animal protection. I would never kill a rodent. That's why this is disturbing me so much. If it was a stranger or a neighbor, I'd be quicker to report. But this is my brother.  It's not my neighborhood and part of me just thinks I should not get involved, but drowning a skunk?? That's awful, and I think it will just continue.
Any suggestions? 
Please don't create a big thread about how awful my brother is for doiing this- I KNOW that. Please just give suggestions. Thanks. [/quote]

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