Trapping Urban Wildlife

Many factors have contributed to the increased demand for wildlife control services. Find out what PCOs can do to grab a piece of the pie.

During the last two decades wildlife problems have suddenly exploded. Where have all these animals come from? Some theorize that after many generations of existence, humans have neglected to pass along practical solutions for coping with wildlife. Maybe the wildlife populations are not any larger; maybe we’ve just forgotten how to deal with them. Others are convinced that wild animals are adapting their behavior to ensure their survival amidst “urban sprawl.”

Laws and regulations have been created, along with branches of government, to deal with these animal pests. Some of these laws and regulations have protected animals, recognizing them as a valuable resource both monetarily and ecologically. Other laws are founded on emotion and anthropomorphism (ascribing human qualities to things not human).

The tools we use to control and manage wildlife have been regulated by different branches of government. Most of these points considered separately have merit and value; however, combined, they create problems for PCOs and nuisance wildlife control operators (NWCOs).

WHY THE INCREASE? In answering the most common question, “Why are all these animals here?” we need to consider what animals need and want. As with any living creature, the basic survival needs are food, shelter and water; other than propagation they want little else. Today, we have provided these resources for wildlife as a result of our living habits and structure-building techniques.

It is not hard for animals to find the trash can out back or the dog’s food dish on the deck. Bird feeders (which we have a compulsion to refill after half the seeds have been shaken to the ground) serve as billboards to any form of wildlife within a two-mile radius. Our homes and businesses lend themselves to sheltering most animals. Wildlife has a unique ability to adapt to any living environment, whether it’s a hollow tree in the backyard, the storm drain in the street or the void under the precast front porch (the one your builder saved all that time and money on). Chimneys make ideal den sites for raccoons, providing a secure, warm shelter for their cubs in the spring. So it seems only natural they are here and here to stay.

A SHIFT IN POPULATION. Population dynamics are the influencing forces on a given population and the responses within that population. What causes a population to rise or fall and what happens when it does? Areas only have a certain amount of food, shelter and water to support a certain number of animals — that number is called the “carrying capacity” or “threshold.” When there is an unlimited supply of resources, the population of that area is healthier and litter sizes increase. When there is a shortage of these essentials, the population becomes sick, disease becomes more common and litter sizes shrink. Nature, in essence, serves as a regulator valve on propagation. This valve opens and closes depending on where the threshold limit is.

When we build a housing community or a shopping mall we destroy a habitat. The population there is forced to move elsewhere. This sudden migration shocks the surrounding area’s threshold with a population explosion. In urban areas this causes a noticeable increase in activity as they look for the essentials of life. Our dwellings and workplaces usually provide ample shelter and water for their future homes.

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BE PREPARED. Regulations vary greatly from state to state, so it is important to be aware of all the agencies that may have some sort of regulation on wildlife or animals in your area.

In my home state of Ohio, the state Department of Natural Resources was pressured into instituting a euthanasia practice on certain species of wildlife because of their growing populations throughout the state and the threat of disease from surrounding states. Then, the American Humane Society dictated how we destroy these animals. We must do it in a way that is humane and limits suffering.

The Ohio Department of Agriculture wants to know what we are doing with these dead animals and they have a list of regulations for us, too. We must have a permit to transport dead animals on public roads because we are transporting “bio-hazardous waste.” The vehicle we intend to use to transport euthanized wildlife has to have an inspection certificate. Now, where are we going to take them once we have the permits? We used to take them to a rendering plant; but recently for bio-hazard-related reasons, the regulations changed, prohibiting the plants from taking any animal parts other than processed animal parts. We now take them to the landfill. The animals are individually bagged and we are required to maintain a dumping permit.

If you decide to go into wildlife management, there are many sources from which to obtain license requirements and permits. They may not be the people who hold your pest control license.

Wildlife itself is regulated at different levels. Raptors and birds of prey, many of which are on the endangered species list, are protected at the federal level. Most birds are protected under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act’s Migratory and Exotic Bird Act. Quadrupeds (four-legged animals like raccoons and squirrels) may be protected by state trapping and hunting laws, which again, vary greatly from state to state. Some states have very few regulations regarding control devices while others regulate what devices can be used and how they can be used.

Many states have euthanasia policies or regulations. Some require all animals be destroyed, while others only require certain ones. Lethal traps such as Conibear traps present not only a legal issue, but also a moral and ethical decision. Many states do allow their use, but theses traps are a “Pandora’s box” for the PCO. If you have never used these traps before and make a conscious decision to do so, I recommend talking to someone who has used them. Keep all your equipment tagged for identification. There are good reasons for labeling traps including vandalism, theft and political issues.

SURVEYS. As in pest management, surveys are vital to saving time and effort in wildlife control. You must also have the proper tools to do a thorough survey. The survey determines what animals you are dealing with, how they are gaining access to the structure and what options for control you have. Many access points cannot be seen from the ground, so a good extension ladder is a must. Some animals gain access through roof vents, power fans, gable vents, dormer corners and fascia gaps so these areas need close inspection. A bright flashlight and hand tools are sometimes needed to remove access panels and find pest evidence. Binoculars help in spotting access points and observing pest behavior.

CONCLUSION. Keep in mind you are dealing with living, breathing, THINKING, creatures; they remember details and can figure out problems. Your customer is expecting professional service and results. Your customers may not be members of a political group or animal welfare organization, but that does not mean they don’t care about the animals you are removing. Treat every customer like he/she is the president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Know your state and local laws before you start; there may be more than one agency controlling different parts of your business. Also, get to know your enforcement agents, if there are any — they can be a big help or a big problem. They can be a reference source and in some cases may even be a source for referrals.

Keep control of your job. Don’t let the customer control you. For example, don’t let your customers force you to put traps in attics where you may not be able to perform daily inspections. Don’t depend on customers to check your traps for you; if they are forgetful or not at home, how can they check the traps?

Last but not least — don’t overlook the importance of paperwork! Whatever you do, write account information down so that your work is documented and so you have a record of all the work your company has done.

The author is vice president/operations director at Varment Guard Environmental Services, Columbus, Ohio.