Raccoon traps – Why you should hire a professional

Trapping a raccoon may seem like an easy, effective and cost-saving way to remove it from your home's attic, under your deck or from your business. Although tempting, there are many reasons why you should not attempt this on your own. The best way to safely and humanely remove a raccoon is to hire a professional. Here are the reasons why:  

1. You can get seriously injured. Have you ever seen an angry or defensive raccoon? They can be extremely vicious, causing a serious and likely risk of bites, scratches and other injuries. When you finally stop bleeding, you will have to get rabies shots, even if it's the smallest of scratches. Rabies is fatal for humans if not treated immediately. You can't until any symptoms appear to get treated, once the symptoms appear, it is too late and is fatal. Learn more about the risk of raccoon rabies in humans.
   
   
2. Professionals know what kind of bait to use in a raccoon trap. Raccoons will eat almost anything, but they are clever and won't eat just anything when it's in a trap!
   
   
3. You cannot place the trap in just any location. If you put a trap in the wrong location, you can spook the raccoon, making it even harder to trap. A licensed professional will know the best location for the trap, what kind of trap to use, and if the raccoon has become trap-shy, they can figure out why.
   
   
4. There are strict laws against trapping and moving wild animals including raccoons in Toronto and across Ontario. A licensed professional knows the law and will adhere to it.
   
   
5. You may want to trap the raccoon and drop it off at a nearby natural area. This is against the law. A licensed raccoon removal professional understands the legal requirements of where to relocate a trapped raccoon, as well as how to do so in a manner that is humane for the raccoon and will prevent it from coming back. You do NOT want to get caught moving a raccoon, especially in the current climate with the racoon rabies outbreak. In addition, when homeowners attempt to remove raccoons themselves, it often results in unnecessary stress, suffering and even death for the raccoon.
   
   
6. Raccoon removal professionals take precautions to humanely treat a trapped raccoon during the trapping, relocation and removal stages.
   
   
7. Trapping a raccoon on your own could inadvertently leave young behind to starve to death. Professionals know how to tell the sex of the animal, if it has recently had babies and if it is still feeding them.