HUMANE SOLUTIONS

While many of us may not realize it, a property owner is also a habitat manager. Over 35,000 acres of wildlife habitat are converted to housing and other development each year in Washington. If we continue at this rate, many of our native wildlife species will have few places to live and visit. The things we do, or do not do, in the vicinity of our home have an effect on the quality of habitat for dozens of wildlife species.1

Wildlife that moves into your home usually doesn’t want to live there year-round. Most are mothers seeking a high or warm, protected place to have their babies. Cohabitation periods are usually brief (a pregnant raccoon mother moving into your attic, for example, will move her young to a lower nest in 6-8 weeks).

Suggestions for Home Invasions:
If a wild animal, such as a raccoon, squirrel, opossum or skunk, has moved into your home, here are some suggestions for making the environment undesirable and encouraging them to move elsewhere. In most cases, the animal will be moving out within 24 to 48 hours, but keep in mind that animals with babies may take longer since they need to find a suitable re-nesting site. For animals with babies, consider tolerating the home invasion until they are older or providing another nest site for them, such as a hollow log or nest box, on your property.

  1. Figure out where the animal is getting in and close off all except one access point.
  2. Use light, noise and odors to disturb the area as much as possible. Please keep your own safety in mind and don’t directly confront the animal-you may need to use long poles to place the following:
    • Place a mechanic’s trouble light in the area.
    • Tune a radio to a talk show station and put it in the area.
    • Soak rags in ammonia and stuff them into the area. You may want to put the rags in cans to be sure that you don’t get ammonia on any babies that may be present.
  3. Once the animal(s) has moved out, be sure to repair or close off the area to prevent further ocurrence.

Keep in mind that live trapping and relocation of wild animals is prohibited by law in Washington State.

Here are some other websites that might have some helpful humane solutions:

Beavers, Foxes, Raccoons, Skunks, and Squirrels from Urban Wildlife Rescue in Colorado at http://www.urbanwildliferescue.org/humane/
Birds, Coyotes, Deer, Foxes, Mountain Lions, Opossums, Pigeons, Raccoons, Skunks, and Squirrels from Project Wildlife in San Diego at http://www.projectwildlife.org/facts.htm
Bats, Beavers, Birds, Coyotes, Deer, Moles, Gophers, Rabbits, Raccoons, Skunks, and Squirrels from the University of Minnesota listings at http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/nuisance.htm
http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/advice2.htm

All wildlife, including those many people consider nuisances, have important and useful roles to play in the diversity and cycles of our planet. To learn more about the lives and roles of some of our wild neighbors, visit:

Bats http://www.batcon.org/
Beavers and Moles http://roanokewildlife.org/what_a_nuisance.htm
Opossums http://www.opossumsocietyus.org/
Raccoons http://www.loomcom.com/raccoons/

For more information on laws concerning wildlife and about protected or endangered species, contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

1 Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife