Avon Responders Roll Out Red Carpet For Red Squirrel

AVON, CT — Firefighters have been known to go up into a tree to rescue cats.

But in Avon recently, local volunteer firefighters took a different type of arbor approach to help another variety of furry friend.

A small red squirrel that took shelter in an outdoor enclosure at Avon’s animal shelter was recently relocated to a nearby tree with help from the Avon Animal Control Department and the Avon Volunteer Fire Department, according to town authorities.

Animal control said Thursday that the squirrel had been wintering in an outside run at the shelter, located at 11 Arch Road.

But with the assistance of the AVFD, staff installed a new squirrel nesting box in a nearby tree to provide an alternative, more natural habitat away from town property.

Animal control officials thanked firefighters for their help, jokingly describing the effort as providing “affordable housing” for the animal.

The Avon Volunteer Fire Department acknowledged the relocation in a brief statement, saying, “Happy new home, mighty red squirrel!”

While most associate Connecticut's squirrel scene with the gray variety, red squirrels, who are much smaller than grays, can be seen in the Land of Steady Habits.

According to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, red squirrels remain a common species in the state, though their population has declined in some areas due to habitat loss, including the reduction of coniferous forests such as white pine.

The species typically inhabits mixed hardwood and evergreen forests and is smaller than the more common gray squirrel, averaging about 7 ounces in weight and 11 to 14 inches in length.

For more information on red squirrels in Connecticut, click on this link.