Isle of Palms Winter-Spring 2018-19

21 www.IsleOfPalmsMagazine.com | www.ILoveIOP.com | www.IOPmag.com “I knew I was going to do something. I’m high-energy, always doing stuff,” he said. “But I wanted to kind of blend in.” Enourato started with the city as a beach services officer, a temporary summer position, mostly writing parking tickets and patrolling the beach. When the animal control officer job came open five months later, he decided it was time to return to work full-time. Enourato said his main job is to protect the public from diseased animals and to make certain dogs are vaccinated and leashed when they are supposed to be leashed on the beach – from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Sept. 15 through March 31, and at all times except from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. from April 1 through Sept. 14. He’s also responsible for removing dead birds and animals from the beach and the city’s roads. The animal control officer pointed out that there usually are six to eight dog bites a week, in which case the dogs are quarantined, usually in their homes, until he and the state Department of Health and Environmental Control are certain the animal doesn’t have rabies. He deals with other animals as well. Feral cats, born in the wild, can be aggressive, he said, though he doesn’t know of any cases where they have harmed a human. “They typically stay to themselves,” he explained, adding that people shouldn’t feed them or raccoons if they don’t want them returning for more food. Coyotes also can be an issue; their population on the island is growing, apparently because their habitat on the other side of the Intracoastal Waterway is shrinking. “With all the development in Mount Pleasant, they have moved over here,” Enourato said. “They swim across the marsh, and they eat the rats and snakes that are abundant on the island.” According to Enourato, there are three varieties of poisonous snakes on the island: cottonmouths, rattlers and copperheads. He said it’s always a good idea to pay attention to the ground around your feet. “Respect the wildlife. Never let your guard down,” he commented. “Look where you are walking. The snakes are as afraid of you as you are of them. If you step on them, they get defensive.” And then there’s the alligators. A few years ago, he helped a professional trapper capture an 11-footer in the IOP surf. By law, gators of this size must be euthanized “to protect the public.” All things considered, IOP’s animal control officer, who lives in Mount Pleasant with his wife, Dawn Marie Enourato, is thriving in his second career. “The majority of the people are nice, and I like the interaction. There’s fewer headaches than when I was with the FBI, and the job keeps me in good shape,” he said. [ Feature ] “Respect the wildlife. Never let your guard down,” he commented. Photo by Brian Sherman. Photo courtesy of Chris Enourato. As part of his job as IOP animal control officer, Enourato once helped a professional trapper capture an alligator.