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| The HSUS |
| Unwanted house guests can be evicted permanently and humanely. |
As much as we love and appreciate having wild animals living in our neighborhoods and communities, we know that tolerance can end at the front door.
Raccoons in the woods behind our house may be accepted, while raccoons in the chimney or attic may not.
This is reasonable. So, what do you do when you want that univited guest to leave? What, indeed, to do whenever you have a conflict with a wild neighbor?
The Humane Approach
Unwanted wild guests can be evicted humanely—and permanently. Whether the animal conflict is in your neighborhood, in your yard, or inside your house, we are here to help you resolve problems using a variety of humane approaches.
What is Nonlethal Wild Animal Control?
Nonlethal wildlife control is a new and increasingly popular way to manage human-wildlife conflicts without killing and, in most cases, without relocating the wild animals. It is the most effective means of reducing and/or eliminating problems, because it addresses causes—that is, what attracted the animal to enter (or invade) the human habitat in the first place.
And it creates lasting, environmentally sound and, of course, humane solutions. Addressing the root cause and preventing problems from reoccurring is the best way to go.
Do It Yourself
To solve problems with any animal, it helps to know something about that animal. One place to start your search for the right humane solution is in Solving Problems. Here, you will find out more about the animal and/or common conflicts with this type of animal.
Contracting with Professional Wildlife Control Services
If you are ready to hire a third party (typically called a "a pest control service") to help you resolve a wildlife conflict, we recommend that you read and follow these Seven Tips before choosing one.
Many such companies will encourage you to trap and remove an animal when, in fact, they are often bound by state law to kill it. Quite often, they leave the cause of the problem unaddressed (e.g. by not suggesting you cap a chimney or seal an entry point into an attic). We believe this is irresponsible. Fortunately, there are more humane options available to consumers.
Humane Wildlife Services of The HSUS
If you live in the Washington, D.C., Metro area, one option is to contact The HSUS's Humane Wildlife Services (HWS). HWS is a for-profit branch of The HSUS that works to develop and implement humane wildlife solutions and to serve as a model for wildlife control companies around the country. (Canada was the first country to implement this type of model program.)
Specific Products and Practices to Avoid
These articles document and explain why these particular products and practices should be avoided altogether.
Poisonous Solution: The Avitrol Problem
Scrap the Trap When Evicting Raccoons, Skunks, and other Wildlife
Retail Guide to Humane Products
This comprehensive guide lists sources for products used to humanely resolve conflicts with wildlife. Many of these products are discussed in our book, Wild Neighbors™: The Humane Approach to Living with Wildlife, available through our Humane Bookshelf.
More Resources: Don't Trash Wildlife!
Updated August 8, 2008
