Animal Control: Know The Facts About It

Hiring an animal control expert to deal with a threatening, annoying, or potentially dangerous animal on your property is never a pleasant experience. Before you make the call, know the facts and what's best for your family.

For most residents, the experience of needing to hire an animal control professional is never a pleasant one. Many people stall in making the phone call, hoping the destructive critter will disappear on its' own, without any human interference.

Some people fear for its safety, preferring that it doesn't make a home near their family, but also not wanting to see the animal killed or harmed because of its' troublesome behavior. Others simply don't want to assume the cost of calling a specialist, thinking the city, county, or state in which they live should be responsible for the issue.

A person living in an apartment in New York City is more likely to be bothered by roaches and mice than by bears and raccoons, while a family that lives in the suburbs surrounded by trees may find their garbage cans being regularly attacked by animals that have chosen to call that spot home.

No matter what the pest, it's important to contact animal control because virtually any wild animal can be dangerous, and is likely to bite or injure a human if confronted. Some mammals, like coyotes, will kill dogs and cats kept as pets, making the environment around your home unsafe.

Many wild animals---including squirrels, skunks, raccoons, chipmunks, bats, and wild cats---carry rabies, a particularly vicious and debilitating disease that's transferred through the saliva of an infected creature. Without proper treatment, the disease is nearly 100% deadly to both animals and humans exposed to the virus.

Unfortunately, many have no idea that their pet has been exposed to the disease until he begins to manifest symptoms, at which point, there is no treatment. For this reason, it is important to never attempt to capture one that's been behaving destructively on your property. It's also important to never simply ignore it, particularly if you have pets or small children that are frequently allowed outside.

Contrary to popular belief, experts don't simply rely on the use of poison and kill traps to rid your property of a destructive one. Before hiring a specialist, ask him what sort of it is likely causing the damage or threat to your home, and what humane ways can be used to capture it and relocate it.

In some cases, it is possible to simply use a cage with a protective cover to help the trapped creature survive his capture. If he is healthy, he will be relocated to a more suitable environment. It is not required for all animal control specialists to use humane traps, so be sure to inquire before signing a contract.

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