What you can do about Squirrels or Raccoons on your property
Squirrels and raccoons have always been culprits when it comes to hanging out in our backyards, lawns and attics. They take advantage of the space, the food sources and shelters available nearby which make it a convenient place to stay but for the residents who own the property, it can be a problem.
Although raccoons and squirrels have doe-eyed faces which make it easy to like them, they actually have the ability to cause more damage than you think and these problems only get worse the longer they go unresolved. Some of the problems you might face with raccoons and squirrels living on your property include the following:
- They’re going through your trash bins and making a mess looking for something to eat
- They rip and chew away at vents or chimney caps
- They leave droppings
- They aggravate your pets
- They have the possibility of carrying different virus’ or disease
- Aggressive wildlife animal may act defensively and cause injury or damage
Best humane ways of keeping wildlife from making homes on your property
There are several ways to keep wildlife from making homes on your property in an effective, safe and humane manner that included taking wildlife prevention precautions beforehand. Ensuring that wildlife don’t get into your property first and fore-more will drastically decrease the likelihood of any wildlife intrusions. Calling a professional wildlife control who uses a material like galvanized steel mesh to prevent wildlife from getting onto your property will save you money, time and effort in the long run.
If you don’t decide to conduct wildlife prevention, there are also other methods that can help in preventing wildlife on your property. Ensure that your trash bins are shut tight, or put away somewhere completely inaccessible from wildlife, especially raccoons. Raccoons have a lot of dexterity in their hands that make it easier for them to open trash bins or get into small spaces.
Be sure to conduct inspections every so often to look out for any spaces or areas that wildlife animals could possible use as an entry point. Ensure that there are no wildlife animals living here when before you seal any entry points.
Why live trapping shouldn’t be your first choice
There are numerous reasons as to why it would not be beneficial to conduct wildlife live trapping. Live trapping (by cage) is the process of catching a wildlife animal usually from a private property requested by someone with a nuisance wildlife problem and relocating them to a more convenient location for the property owner.
Under certain circumstances, live trapping is a necessary process and definitely the better alternative if it comes down to putting down wildlife animals. In some cases, live trapping is simply the best option for the wildlife animal as well as the property owner.
Reasons why wildlife live trapping shouldn’t be your first choice is because of how it affects the animal.
In certain months of the year, many wildlife animals are either already ready or preparing for baby season. This is the time period where wildlife are giving birth, or taking care of their young, teaching them to survive and thrive in the wilderness – but sometimes it isn’t in the wilderness, and it is on your property and that is when live trapping gets tricky.
During the early life stages of wildlife animals, just like us humans, they are dependent on their caretakers. Live trapping during these seasons risks catching the mother wildlife animal and leaving the young behind, orphaned, defenseless and hungry which is why it is especially risky to conduct wildlife trapping during the months of March-August.
Another key reason why live trapping should be left as a last resort is due to the chance of leaving a wildlife animal disoriented. When many wildlife species settle, they take the time to become familiar with their setting, the surroundings. They know where to find shelter from weather outcomes to predators, and how to find water and food sources within that area. When wildlife are trapped and relocated, they become ‘disoriented’ and don’t know how to find things as well as they did in their previous location. As reported by the Humane Society of the United States, about 97% of squirrels either died or disappeared from where they were released.
Wildlife Removal Legalities in Ontario
In Ontario, certain regulations are put in place to ensure the safety of wildlife animals as well as Ontario residents, so it is important that these rules are abided by
When dealing with nuisance wildlife, keep these in mind and read the official Rules for Removing Animals as published on Ontario.ca
- Deal humanely with wildlife
- Restrict activity to your property
- Release trapped wildlife within 24 hours
- Wildlife should not be relocated further than 1km from where they were caught
- With the property owner’s permission, release wildlife on private property
Why Calling for professional wildlife removal services is a good idea
Calling for a professional wildlife removal service is always a good choice especially if you’ve never dealt with wildlife nuisance problems in the past. Professional wildlife technicians are licensed and trained with dealing with wildlife and pest control problems and know the right method to ensure safety, humane treatment while getting the results you want.
If you notice signs of wildlife in your house give us a call. At SOS Wildlife, we provide superior wildlife removal for residential, commercial, and industrial clients, guaranteeing effective results every single time. Let us help you solve your wildlife problems. Taking action before it’s too late will help eliminate animal damage repair costs. We can easily be reached at 1-800-981-0330. Don’t wait and call us to schedule an appointment for a thorough inspection to help evacuate all your unwanted wildlife guests in the most humane way possible.
