While wild animals play a vital role in our local ecosystems by controlling pest populations such as rodents and insects, their presence in a home can pose significant health and safety hazards. Knowing when to handle a situation yourself and when to call for emergency wildlife removal is essential to protecting your family, pets, and property.
Wild Animals Inside Living Quarters
One of the most immediate reasons to call for professional assistance is when a wild animal enters the living quarters of your home. This refers to areas where people live, eat, and sleep, and specifically excludes unoccupied spaces like garages, sheds, attics, or crawl spaces.
Bats are a common intruder in living spaces. If you find a bat in your house, it is important to remain calm, as they can transmit rabies. While you can attempt to lead a bat out by opening windows or doors, you should call a professional if you feel uneasy or if the bat is injured. A critical emergency occurs if you wake up with a bat in the room where you were sleeping. Because bat bites can be unnoticed, especially for children or those under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the bat must be captured and tested for rabies.
Raccoons in common living areas, such as kitchens or living rooms, also constitute an emergency. These animals are not inherently aggressive, but can become dangerous if they feel cornered or if you get between a mother and her babies. In such cases, you should remove children and pets from the area immediately and call a specialist to avoid potential bites or scratches.
Signs of Sick or Injured Wildlife
You should contact authorities immediately if you encounter a wild animal that appears sick or injured. An animal is considered sick if its ability to escape capture is physically impaired or absent. Rabies is a primary concern for "Rabies Vector Species" (RVS), which include raccoons, skunks, bats, woodchucks, and foxes.
Early signs of rabies include:
Behavioural changes, such as friendly animals becoming cautious or shy animals becoming unusually bold.
Hypersensitivity to light or noise.
A staring expression in the eyes.
Excessive saliva production or frothing at the mouth.
General paralysis, weak muscles, and difficulty swallowing.
If a mammal you own is bitten or scratched by a potentially rabid animal, you must consult a vet and report the incident to the appropriate health or wildlife authorities. In many jurisdictions, failing to report a suspected case of a notifiable disease, such as rabies, is an offence.
Encounters with Venomous Snakes
Finding a snake in your yard or home requires quick identification to determine if it is an emergency. In North America, there are four types of venomous snakes to be wary of: Cottonmouths, Copperheads, Rattlesnakes, and Coral Snakes.
Emergency removal is necessary if you cannot safely identify the snake or if it is in a high-traffic area. Key traits of venomous snakes include:
Head Shape: Most venomous species have triangular-shaped heads that flare out from the neck due to venom sacs.
Eye Shape: Venomous snakes typically have elliptical pupils (slits like a cat’s), whereas non-venomous snakes have round pupils.
Heat Pits: Pit vipers (rattlesnakes, copperheads, and cottonmouths) have visible pits between their nostrils and eyes used for heat sensing.
If someone is bitten, get medical help immediately. Do not attempt to suck the venom out or apply a tourniquet.
Immediate Threats to Public Safety
Professional intervention is required whenever a wild animal creates an immediate threat to public health or safety. This includes animals that are acting aggressively in public settings or are found in high-traffic areas where they may cause injury.
The Dangers of DIY Removal
While it may be tempting to save money, DIY wildlife removal is fraught with danger.
Health Risks: Wildlife can carry diseases like leptospirosis, salmonella, and hantavirus, which can be transmitted through droppings, urine, or bites.
Risk of Injury: Cornered animals will fight back with sharp teeth and claws.
Legal Concerns: In many states, trapping and relocating wildlife is illegal or strictly regulated. For instance, in California, trapped animals must often be euthanized because relocation can spread disease and lead to territorial conflicts.
Property Damage: Animals such as squirrels and rodents can chew through wiring and insulation, posing a fire hazard. Professionals are better equipped to identify and seal all entry points to prevent recurrence.
Who to Call: Animal Control vs. Wildlife Removal
It is important to distinguish between these two services to ensure you reach the right people.
Animal Control: These are government-funded agencies that primarily deal with domestic animals (dogs, cats, and farm animals) and public safety issues such as rabies mitigation and animal abuse. They often respond only to specific emergencies, such as wildlife in the living quarters or sick animals.
Wildlife Removal Services: These are private, state-licensed professional companies that specialize in trapping, removing, and excluding non-domestic animals like raccoons, bats, and skunks from private property. They provide comprehensive solutions, including sanitizing affected areas and implementing long-term exclusion measures to prevent future infestations.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the most effective and humane approach to wildlife conflict is exclusion, identifying and sealing entry points to keep animals out of your home permanently. Calling a professional immediately when an emergency arises ensures that the situation is handled safely, legally, and humanely.