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A peacock led New Boston officials on a wild goose chase Tuesday before flying away.
By RYAN SCOTT OTTNEY
PDT Staff Writer
NEW BOSTON — Village Administrator Steve Hamilton has been called many times to help catch or rescue an animal in the village. He has always safely returned the animals to the wild or to its owner; but Hamilton met his match Tuesday when a large peacock took residence on the roof of a home in New Boston.
“The police have called me out many times for loose dogs, cats under houses, opossums in trash cans, raccoons in dumpsters, snakes, and deer running loose in the village,” Hamilton said. “When the police dispatcher called me on Tuesday morning and told me there was a peacock on the roof of a house on Blaine Avenue, my first reaction was ‘right, a peacock.’ But it was no joke.”
After unsuccessful attempts to contact a wildlife officer, Hamilton decided to catch the bird himself. He grabbed the catch pole from his vehicle and started to climb the roof. The peacock had other plans, and flew away near the hill on Pennsylvania Avenue.
“I walked up behind it and grabbed it around the neck. Then about that time I seen a two-inch spur coming at me, so I turned it loose. I really didn’t feel like getting flogged by a peacock,” Hamilton said.
The peacock flew away, and was not seen again.
“I am here to try to keep the village safe, but trying to catch a peacock is nothing like catching any other animal. I really don’t think I’ll try to grab another one with my bare hands,” Hamilton said.
Ryan Scott Ottney can be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 235, or rottney@heartlandpublications.com.
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