Wildlife is necessary for our ecosystem but can also cost hefty repair bills for home and business owners when residing in urban areas. There are definitely many preventative measures home and business owners can take to avoid various wildlife damages to their properties.
Although each very unique; raccoons, skunks and squirrels can be the main actors to many urban residents and business owners’ nightmares. While they have are considered wildlife and can endure life outside, they prefer having a den that is warm, quiet, and safe from predators. They are known to set up their dens in attics, under porches and staircases, and less frequented and enclosed areas in the basement. They can easily find their ways in and out of their dens, generally using the same path. One of the most important preventative measures to be taken is eliminating their entrance & exit.
Survey Building Structure
Weather and animals being the most common causes for property damage, you should check around visible cracks regularly. Surveying the actual building is an important step in identifying damages, which in return help prevent additional adversities like wildlife infestation. You should walk around and survey the concrete as well as visibly surveying the surface but make sure you also use your hands to see if there is moisture, crumbling etc.
Maintain Roof
If you are handy, or able to identify what damaged shingles look like, take it above ground every summer and have your roof inspected. It is normal to have weather triggered wear and tear, but if there are unusual damages, holes or cracks, they can be identified and repaired. Most wildlife animals are superior climbers and like to build their dens in attics. Surveying your roof is one of the most important preventative measures you can take in protecting your property against wildlife.
Clutter Control
Maintaining your actual physical property is very important. It is just as important to maintain around your property as well. This includes keeping yard clean and tidy, mowing and raking leaves regularly, keeping your BBQ and the surrounding areas clean, free of food remnants and grease, and most importantly garbage and recycling bins securely closed and contained. Number one preventative measure in keeping the unwanted wildlife guests away from your property is most certainly containing garbage, compost and recycling bins. Animals like raccoons and skunks are nocturnal. This means they spend their nights looking for food. While they feed themselves on the spot, they are known to collect food for their families. They have excellent memory. They can remember the source of sustenance almost every single time. In order to avoid recurring visitors, you should keep your garbage, recycling, and compost bins securely closed, preferably in enclosed areas. Many urban residents keep their bins inside their garages or sheds. Don’t forget to take out your bins for weekly/biweekly pick-ups by the city.
Feeding Wildlife
Though you think you may be doing a humane act of kindness by feeding birds, or other wildlife animals, you actually are not. Trying to sustain in urban areas mean more risk for wildlife animals, than finding food in more natural and rural areas. If you want to help wildlife, either for their nutrition, or for their ongoing healthcare, you should visit your local Humane Society. Bird feeders, bread crumbs, and leftovers are all examples of wildlife attractors. While you intend to feed birds only, you will open up the passageway to skunks, squirrels, and raccoons. Not only would you attract wildlife, you would also start attracting rodents like mice and rats. Feces and urine of these animals attract more animals, and an infestation problem could become a serious wildlife control situation where professionally trained specialists may be required to clean out the area. Outdoor feeding of such animals could cause an infestation in your neighborhood where multiple residences might get affected.
Pets
Presence of pets may both deter or attract wildlife. Their physical presence scares wildlife from reaching close proximity to your property; however their food may attract them. As most wildlife are nocturnal, they may get away with sneaking onto your property to eat your pets’ food. Best practices if you have any pets would be to feed them indoors, keep their food in seal tight containers, and making sure your pets are vaccinated yearly against rabies and other diseases.
While these are just some of the basic wildlife prevention methods you can practice, you can also check out the Town of Oakville’s environment website for Wildlife Proofing Your Property Checklist.
The easiest and most inexpensive way of dealing with wildlife animals or rodents is to care for your property. Repair and fix cracks, holes, and dents, vaccinate your pets, and keep their foods sealed and indoors, help children and neighbors direct their humanity to different channels instead of outdoor feedings, and most importantly; respect the wildlife. They help balance our eco-system, and there are strict provincial and federal laws in place for their protection. Practice these basic preventative measures and you will wild proof your home, before wildlife becomes a problem.
At SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated, we provide superior wildlife control services for residential, commercial, and industrial clients. Although we hope the preventative measures guideline we’ve provided can help get you started in maintaining your property safe and free of all wildlife animals, we are still available. Don’t wait and call us to schedule an appointment for a thorough inspection to help evacuate all your unwanted wildlife guests.
Call SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated 1.800.981.0330 to take Preventative Measures!
You’ve heard the saying “winter is coming” and with winter, also comes wildlife. Seeking shelter from the cold and new breeding grounds, they are quite adept at getting into your home. They will claw, scratch and clamor from the side vents, rooftops and even soffits. The best way to prevent animals from coming into your house is to wildlife proof your home with a qualified wildlife control specialist. If you are unable to do this, there are still steps you can take to ensure you property is less attractive to animals. Here is an extensive list of wildlife preventive tips you can do.
Wildlife Prevention Tips
Balconies
Keep the balcony clear of all junk, debris, garbage, food and animal droppings
Repair broken windows and screens
Close accesses to storage areas
Use wire mesh, plastic netting, pull down blinds or a commercial barrier to keep wildlife away
Securely attach tin or other light metal at a 45-degree angle on the balcony ledge. This prevents animals from climbing onto your balcony
Remove any material that birds might use for building a nest
If you plan to be away, ask a friend or neighbour to check your balcony frequently for signs that animals have moved in or use wire mesh, plastic netting, pull down blinds or a commercial barrier to keep wildlife away
Screen off all vents and fans that lead into the building
Discourage anyone from feeding wild animals
If an animal invades a work area, open access to the outdoors and allow it to escape
Children
Teach wildlife safety to your children. Tell them that they should never approach or touch a wild animal and to call for an adult if they do see one.
Chimneys
Properly cap them to block animals from getting inside the chimneys
Check the cap annually to make sure it still blocks access
Repair the flashing (tin or other metal that builders use to weather-proof the chimney) if animals have pried or chewed it to try to get inside
Decks and stairways
Enclose open areas
Repair enclosures when necessary
Fill any holes under stairs with clay or concrete
Eaves trough
Clean out regularly to prevent debris from building up. If you have a lot of debris in the eaves troughs, birds may try to build nests there.
Exterior
Inspect all siding and general exterior for leaks, damaged or rotten areas and make necessary repairs
Exterior vent
Place screens on all dryer, air, stove and bathroom vents that animals can’t get inside
Feeding
Feeding birds is a nice way to attract them; however, bird feeders may also attract other wild animals
Avoid encouraging wild animals by offering them food or leaving food available for them.
Garages
Repair leaks, damaged or rotted areas in the siding, roof, foundation and outside walls
Never leave your garage doors open overnight or for extended periods
Garbage
Keep garbage in sealed containers at all times in an enclosed area
Place containers at the curb only on the day of garbage pick-up
Lawns
Staff at your neighbourhood garden center can advise you how you can eliminate grubs and other insects that some animals like to eat and can also let you know what you can use to safely remove the grubs without hurting the grass, other plants and your pets.
Lighting fixtures
Repair and seal fixtures because birds like to nest in and on them
Mailboxes and ornamental fixtures
Clean and check regularly
Pets
The presence of a pet may deter wildlife; however, never let a pet chase or scare wildlife as wild animals could seriously injure your pet.
Don’t leave pets outdoors unless you’re watching them as animals roaming free are always at risk of coming in contact with wild animals.
Don’t feed your pets outdoors as food may attract wildlife
Vaccinate your pet yearly against rabies and other diseases
Pools
Animals may fall into your pool, unless your have raised it above the ground or fenced it in.
Muskrats and ducks like to use your pool as a pond.
Cover your pool with solar blanket when you’re not using it.
Roofs
Repair and secure shingles and vents
Place screens across vents.
Sheds
Repair leaks, damaged or rotted areas in the siding, roof, foundation and outside walls.
Never leave your shed doors open overnight or for extended periods.
Close up the area beneath the structure, so animals can’t live there.
Soffits
Repair or replace any loose or rotten soffits.
Tree wells
Enclose and keep them free of debris as animals may fall in and become trapped.
Window wells
Clean out and place a screen over the top.
Windows
Seal any holes or openings in windows
Fill in window boxes or place screens over them.
Yards and other parts of your property
Clean up debris in the yard.
Avoid using woodpiles, if possible as many animals like to nest or hide out in woodpiles.
If you must have a woodpile, keep it in an enclosed area, such as a garage or shed.
Cut down or remove any overhanging branches or old TV antennas around the home.
For additional prevention methods, we recommend a wildlife control company to assist you with wildlife proofing your home. Remember that the longer animals are in your home, the more damage they cause. The best way to think about wild proofing your home is see it has a home improvement and/or damage prevention.
Call SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated at 1.800.981.0330 for Wildlife Problems
Wildlife proofing your property is important as Toronto and the surrounding Greater Toronto Area are home to a large number of wildlife. Wildlife have no choice but to move into the cities as we’ve grown and expand further into the countryside. Each year they are forced into closer contact with humans and must compete with us for food, shelter and space. Conflicts can be prevented depending on how we think and act towards wildlife. It is our responsibility to educate ourselves and neighbors about living with wild animals. We will always have wildlife within our city environment, and wildlife will continue to enter our properties until we take preventative measures,
Wildlife proofing your property is important to ensure everyone’s safety and to avoid conflicts
SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated offers wildlife assessments of your property to help identify the wild animal that may inhabit your property. This assessment will offer solutions to humanely remove the animal and suggestions for preventative measures. We will inspect your attic and close off entry-points, but before securing them, we ensure that there are no wildlife trapped inside. We will cap chimneys, put mesh over entrances, and soffits, all the weak areas of your house. A mesh fence is installed around your yard to prevent any further digging from unwanted guests.
The picture below is us wildlife proofing a deck. The ground is dug several ft and wire mesh is installed so animals cannot dig underneath.
Further steps we advise you to take to keep wildlife off your property include:
Installing motion-sensor lights to startle wildlife
Trim tree branches that overhang your home
Keep garage/shed doors securely closed
Do not feed wildlife, they will keep returning if you do
Clean up after BBQ’s and make sure there is no scrap food remaining
Securely close your bins with a bungee cord so wildlife cannot open it. Raccoons have very nimble fingers that they can open bins and tumble them over
Feeding wild animals almost always results in negative consequences for both humans and wildlife
The least traumatic and most inexpensive way of dealing with wild animals is to wildlife proof your property before wildlife moves in. Wildlife proofing your property will save you costs in the future as you will avoid animal removal and damages.
Call SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated for Wildlife Prevention – 647-994-9453
There are two main options to solving a wildlife problem – do it yourself or call a professional.
As a professional I will always advise using our services than doing it yourself, but that being said I do get a lot of phone calls from customers where it just ends up they only need advice as they can easily solve it themselves with the right knowledge. However this is the main reason I advise hiring a professional – knowledge.
As a professional, with the amount of times I’ve seen things done incorrectly or inhumanely, I would always recommend calling for wildlife removal services. That being said, it is a common occurrence that we receive phone calls from people requesting advice so that they can tackle it on their own. When conducting wildlife removal, it’s always safest to call a professional because one of the main differences between DIY methods and calling a service are two things main things, knowledge and experience.
Handling wildlife problems without experience or knowledge can be dangerous. As recently reported in the Town of Oakville were three dogs who died and three dogs were seriously ill after eating poison a neighbor planted carelessly to get rid of local wildlife.
The individual planted rat poison around trees to get rid of squirrels but unfortunately the neighbors pets were victim. As a huge dog lover and an advocate for the humane treatment of animals, I would be devastated if any animal (or human) got poisoned due to my neighbor’s carelessness.
Without knowledge or experience, anybody can fall victim putting their own and other people’s health and safety at risk. It is unfortunate that a decision made by their neighbor has devastated these houses which could have been avoided with proper research into more humane, non-lethal solutions. You can read more on the story on Global News.
In general SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated takes one of two approaches for wildlife problems (or a combination).
The main and preferred approach is to install one-way doors at entry-points to allow animals to leave the building, and to prevent re-entry.
The second is live trapping. We snare or trap the animal and then release back into the wild a kilometer away in accordance to Ontario rules and regulations.
These approaches sound very easy but it takes experience and knowledge of the animals to do it correctly. If there are babies involved separate precautions must be taken. The mother must be initially removed and later relocated with her babies, the humane method of wildlife removal with babies. If you have a wildlife problem, call us for advice or help – 647-994-9453 or email us at info@soswildlife.ca.
Do-it-Yourself Wildlife Removal Tips
As much as we recommend calling wildlife technicians, we are aware of the stride people take on their own. Below are a couple tips for Do-it-Yourself wildlife removal.
If the animals pose no immediate threat to health and safety, then residents may choose to wait until the adults and any young have left the home or property, and then close the access point to prevent re-entry. Residents taking this approach must ensure that all young animals have left the nest or den, which normally means waiting until the young are weaned.
Read up on your local animal legislation before attempting to do it yourself. Ontario has strong animal welfare legislation, enforcing strong laws and tough penalties. In Ontario it is an offence to cause or permit distress to an animal.
“Their goal is to ensure Ontario’s animals are protected and treated in the humane manner that our society expects”.
Ministry of Natural Resources, 2015.
It’s against the law in Ontario to even own a trap that can catch anything bigger than a rat. Any device big enough to kill a raccoon or any use of poisons to kill these wild animals could also snare the neighbor’s cat or worst case scenario a toddler. The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) recommends hiring a licensed professional to trap and remove the animal.
Trapping is a common tactic for urban wildlife management in Toronto, but the most effective way of controlling pests like raccoons, skunks, mice, rats, or squirrels is prevention. Preventing the wildlife from entering your home can be much more effective than live trapping. Please check out our video on wildlife proofing your home.
