Ever since construction work began in a nearby park, skunks have brought a noxious odor and a pervasive sense of fear to a Bronx public housing complex. It's gotten so bad that residents of the Throggs Neck Houses are horrified to leave their apartments after dark. "If it was just rats and roaches, I could take care of it myself," said Maxine Breeden, 44. "But these are wild animals. Lots of 'em."
The animals are particularly problematic for dog walkers like 14-year-old Tyreek Harris, whose 2-year-old poodle Coco got doused by a skunk. "Coco was peeing when the skunk peeped his head out of the bush," the teen told the Daily News. "Next thing I know, Coco was running to me, and I was running from Coco. ... The smell was like a punch in the face."
Throggs Neck Houses residents have started concocting homemade remedies to get rid of the stench using vinegar, tomato juice, and industrial-grade disinfectants (Coco was bathed in Prego spaghetti sauce). "At first, you couldn't see them, but you could smell them even with the windows closed," said Ivan O'Conner, 71, a retired Army ranger who has lived in the area for more than 30 years. "Then they were everywhere." Skunks have already invaded Inwood and Washington Heights, and Richard Gentles, a spokesman for New York City Animal Care and Control, said his agency would only get involved if a skunk is sick, trapped, or aggressive. "For the most part, they're even more scared of you," added Gentles, who apparently hasn't spent much time in Throggs Neck.
