Raccoons may look cute but are not welcome in your home or business. They are destructive and can cause serious health risks. Additionally, if they come into contact with human or pet feces or urine, they can spread bacteria and viruses to them.
Saves You Money
If you’re a homeowner, hiring an expert on safe and humane raccoon removal in Toronto to remove raccoons is the best way to save money. First, they will inspect to determine the size of the problem and whether or not it’s already done serious damage. Once they have this information, they can provide a quote for the services you need. They may also suggest reinforcing the eavestroughs, fascia or roof to prevent further problems.
Because of habitat loss, raccoons increasingly find shelter in attics and crawlspaces. As a result, they can cause significant damage in a short period. By sealing entry points, you can keep these pesky critters out of your home for good. This will also save you money on costly repairs down the line. Raccoons can carry bacteria and diseases that endanger humans and pets, including salmonella, ringworm, roundworm, leptospirosis, canine distemper, and rabies. These pathogens are spread through feces or bites, leading to life-threatening illnesses.
Eliminates the Risk of Disease
Raccoons carry several diseases that can be harmful to humans. Their feces can spread roundworms, and their urine can cause leptospirosis in pets and people who come into contact with it. Raccoons also tend to chew through electrical wires, creating a fire hazard, and may enter homes or buildings through small openings like vents or chimneys, increasing the risk of property damage and disease transmission.
Raccoons will only stay where they are comfortable, so removing easy sources of food like pet food left out overnight and unsecured trash can lids is a good start. Closing off access to places like crawl spaces and decks that offer shelter can also give them the push they need to leave, but these deterrents are not foolproof. While it is possible to remove raccoons from outside your home, this inhumane and illegal practice exposes you and your family to dangerous animal handling practices and health risks. Moreover, if you attempt DIY removal, it is impossible to guarantee that the entire nest or litter will be removed.
Prevents Damage to Your Property
Raccoons dig through garbage, rip up soffits, destroy gardens and kill plants. They also damage homes, tearing insulation from attics and crawl spaces to make nests and chewing through electrical wiring. They leave behind feces and urine that smell and can cause diseases. The best way to prevent raccoons from invading your home is to eliminate food and water sources that attract them. Keep your trash cans covered, and avoid leaving food out for any animals, especially in the yard. Also, remove bird feeders from your property to deter raccoons. If you notice any signs of raccoons on your property, call a wildlife company as soon as possible. They will inspect the area and determine the extent of the problem. They may recommend removing a raccoon nest or installing one-way doors to keep them out of your attic. The service may cost more than an inspection but will be less expensive than repairing damages caused by the raccoons.
Keeps Your Family Safe
Raccoons are notorious for scavenging food and can cause significant damage to your property if they enter your home. They often occupy attics and crawl spaces and can contaminate the insulation with urine and excretion, damage ductwork, and store family heirlooms.
Professionals can live-trap the animals and humanely relocate them to a safe area far from home. These methods are more effective than killing the raccoons, which does not solve the problem. Preventing raccoons from entering your home in the first place is a better solution, and this can be done by removing pet food from outdoor feeding stations and closing off dark entry points like under the porch or crawl space.
Natural deterrents like vinegar, crushed garlic, cayenne pepper powder, and used cat litter can also be scattered around your property to keep raccoons away from lawns and gardens. In addition, a regular lawn grub treatment program will keep raccoons from thriving in your yard by eliminating their main source of food each summer.
