Raccoons

Deterring Raccoons

Raccoons, although they are extremely cute, are not pets, and their presence around your house should never be encouraged by providing them with food or shelter. Raccoons, and all wildlife for that matter, are only looking for food or shelter. They don't want anything to do with humans, and anything that you can do to keep from providing them with a meal (or a place to stay when the weather gets cool) will discourage their presence. Feed pets inside, and secure the underside of your house (if it is of pier and beam construction) after verifying first through a pest control service that there isn't anything currently living under there. Raccoons are very intelligent, and they will quickly learn that your house is an easy source of food if you provide them access to your kitchen through an easily opened dog or cat door, or a roof in a state of disrepair.

Trapping & Relocating

Trapping wildlife of any kind is not recommended, and it shouldn't be necessary if the above steps are followed. Studies show that raccoons that are relocated as a result of trapping do not fare well in their new environment. Hunting for food in a new location is a skill that has to be re-learned, territorial fights for food with other animals will take their toll, and all of this is largely unnecessary if the animals are not encouraged to "borrow" food from us and then become a destructive nuisance in the first place. Raccoons eat vermin, insects, and vegetation. They are an invaluable resource for our city if let alone and not encouraged to rely on us, and they will provide the city with pest control services that would otherwise be cost-prohibitive and/or dangerous because of the methods (i.e., chemicals) that would have to be used in their place. Please give raccoons and all other wildlife the chance to do their jobs for our beautiful city.