Windsor, Ontario
Raccoon & skunk removal
Noises in the attic, a lifted shingle or a skunk under the deck? Tell us what you're noticing and where, from a safe distance, and we'll work out a safe, humane way to get the animal out.
Estimates are free.
What are you noticing?
Raccoons and skunks are mostly active at night, so you often find what they leave behind before you see the animal. Signs include noises overhead, roofline damage, a hole under the deck or shed, a musky smell and raided bins. Note where each sign is.
Something moving overhead
Noises on the roof, in the chimney or in the attic, most often at night.
Damage along the roofline
Lifted or torn shingles, a pulled-back fascia board or a damaged roof vent. Raccoons can pull up loose shingles and tear their way into an attic.
A hole under the deck or shed
A burrow or fresh digging at the edge of a deck, shed or crawl space. Skunks den close to the ground and often burrow under buildings.
A musky smell in one spot
A persistent musky smell around one building or sheltered spot is often the first sign that a skunk is nearby.
Small holes in the lawn
Small cone-shaped holes, about 8 to 10 cm across, or patches of turned-up turf. In spring, skunks dig for grubs.
Raided bins and feeders
Bins knocked over, pet food gone, seed spilled under the bird feeder. Food left outside is one of the main things that draws raccoons and skunks to a yard.
Where wildlife gets in
Roof and roofline
- Roof vents and the roofline
- Loose shingles and fascia boards
- Uncapped chimneys
- Soffits and joins between building materials
Walls and ground level
- Warped siding and ground-level gaps
- Crawl spaces
- Beneath decks
- Under and inside sheds
What draws them in
Raccoons and skunks come looking for food and a sheltered, quiet place to den, especially a mother looking for somewhere to raise her young. A property is easier to move into with:
- Garbage left outside overnight
- Pet food kept outdoors
- Spilled seed and open bird feeders
- Branches that reach the roof
Raccoon or skunk?
Raccoons and skunks often den in or under buildings. Where the activity is tends to narrow it down: raccoons are excellent climbers, while skunks are poor climbers that stay close to the ground.
You don't need to identify it before contacting us. Tell us what you've heard, seen or smelled, and where. A photo or short video helps.
| Raccoons | Skunks | |
|---|---|---|
| Climbing | Excellent climbers, up trees, downspouts and vines to the roof | Poor climbers that stay at ground level |
| Usual den sites | Attics, chimneys and the spaces beneath houses | Burrows under decks, sheds and other buildings |
| Typical clues | Noises overhead, lifted shingles, a damaged roof vent | A musky smell, a hole by the deck or shed, small holes in the lawn |
| Young | Usually born in April or May | Born in late spring |
Safe removal starts with the situation
Our removal is humane and non-lethal: we don't kill raccoons or skunks. What we do depends on the animal, where it is, how it's getting in and what we find.
Identifying the animal
We work out which animal it is and how it's using your property: where it's denning and when it comes and goes.
Finding the way in
We look for where the animal is getting in and out.
Choosing the approach
We choose an appropriate removal approach based on what we find.
Explaining next steps
We explain what we found and the next steps for the property.
How we choose the removal approach
The removal approach depends on the animal, the access point and the conditions we find.
Safe and humane
Removal is non-lethal. We don't kill raccoons or skunks.
One-way exclusion, where appropriate
A one-way exit fitted over the opening the animal uses lets it leave on its own and stops it getting back in. One-way exclusion is used only when it suits the location and after checking for dependent young. If young may still be inside, the situation can require a different approach.
What happens next
Tell us what you're seeing
Call, use the estimate form or message us on WhatsApp. Say what you're noticing (noises, a smell, a hole or damage), where, and whether you've seen the animal. A photo from a safe distance helps.
We look at what you've shared
A description, photos or a short video can be enough for us to quote from.
An on-site inspection, if needed
If your details or photos aren't enough, we'll tell you whether an on-site inspection is needed.
Your quote
Estimates are free. We aim to send yours within 60 minutes, by email or WhatsApp.
Before we arrive
- Keep your distance from the animal and the opening it's using, and keep children and pets away from the area.
- Leave the animal alone: no catching, cornering or feeding it, and no smoke, mothballs or anything poured down a chimney to drive it out.
- Don't block the opening. Blocking it now can trap an animal, or its young, inside.
- Bring garbage, pet food and bird seed in for the night.
- From a safe distance, note where it goes in and out and when, and take a photo or video only if you can do it safely.
After the animal leaves
Getting the animal out is only part of it. Keeping the next one out comes down to the way in, and whatever drew it there.
Where it got in
We show you where the animal was getting in, so you know which opening needs closing once it's empty.
Closing up, once it's empty
Openings, including the space under a deck or shed, should only be closed once every animal, young included, is out. Otherwise an animal can be sealed inside.
Fewer reasons to visit
Store garbage indoors or in secured bins, feed pets inside, and protect bird feeders and clean up spilled seed.
A harder climb
Trim branches that give easy access to the roof and chimney, and cap the chimney once nothing is living in it.
Homes and businesses
At home
Attic, chimney, deck or shed: tell us where the activity is, and whether children or pets use that part of the property.
For businesses
Raccoons or skunks around a restaurant, a residential building or another public place? We work with businesses too, and offer ongoing commercial accounts.
Ask about an ongoing accountWhere we work
We're based in Windsor and work across these communities. Outside them, contact us and we'll confirm availability.
If an animal seems sick or hurt
Raccoons and skunks are among the most common carriers of rabies in Ontario. That doesn't mean the one you've seen is sick, but it's why you shouldn't handle one yourself.
Sick or acting strangely
Circling, stumbling, no fear of people or unusual aggression can have several causes, including rabies and distemper, and you can't tell which by looking. Keep away, keep pets in, and for advice call Ontario's Wildlife Health Information Line, 1-888-574-6656.
Ontario: rabies in wildlife (opens in a new tab)Injured or orphaned
Wildlife custodians (wildlife rehabilitators) care for sick, injured or orphaned wild animals; nuisance-wildlife removal does not. Talk to one before you approach or try to move an animal.
Ontario: helping a sick, injured or orphaned wild animal (opens in a new tab)Bitten or scratched
Wash the wound with soap and warm water for at least 15 minutes and get medical attention right away, then report it to the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit. If a pet is bitten, call your vet.
Windsor-Essex County Health Unit: animal bites (opens in a new tab)Protecting your pets
Canine distemper infects raccoons, skunks and dogs. It doesn't make people sick, but keep your pets' distemper and rabies vaccinations up to date.
Ontario: canine distemper (opens in a new tab)
Raccoons and skunks: common questions
Can I block the hole myself?
Not while anything might still be inside: blocking an opening in use can trap an animal, or its young, inside. Leave it open and tell us where it is.
Do you use humane methods?
Yes. Our raccoon and skunk removal is safe, humane and non-lethal, and we don't kill raccoons or skunks. The removal approach depends on the animal, the access point and the conditions we find, and one-way exclusion may be used where appropriate.
What happens after the animal is removed?
We show you where the animal was getting in and explain the next steps for the property, including which openings need closing once every animal is out, and what to change so the next one has less reason to visit.
What if there are babies?
Tell us if you've seen or heard young. Raccoons usually have their young in April or May and skunks in late spring, so through spring and summer a mother may not be alone. One-way exclusion is used only when it suits the location and after checking for dependent young. If young may still be inside, the situation can require a different approach. Don't block the opening yourself: it can trap young inside.
Does the City of Windsor remove skunks or raccoons?
The City cancelled its skunk trapping and euthanasia program in 2014. Homeowners can still call 311 for a residential skunk inspection, where an inspector advises on keeping skunks away. For raccoons, the City refers residents to pest control services. City of Windsor: rodents and pests (opens in a new tab).
How much does raccoon or skunk removal cost?
We quote each job individually, and estimates are free. What you've noticed, where the animal seems to be getting in, and a photo or video help us get started.
Not raccoons or skunks?
Scratching in the walls at night and droppings indoors can point to mice and rats, and a steady stream of insects in and out of a gap in the soffit to wasps. If that sounds more like it, start here.