What is the best way to get rid of raccoons?

Raccoons are clever and adaptable animals. If they decide your property is a good place to eat, nest, or shelter, then your home can potentially be their next home. There is good news because with the right approach, you can remove them safely and prevent them from coming back.

Remove what attracts them

Raccoons are opportunistic feeders. Before anything else, eliminate easy food and shelter sources on your property.

• Secure your bins: Use bungee cords or locking lids on garbage cans. Raccoons are remarkably good at opening unsecured containers.
• Clear fallen fruit: Pick up fruit, berries, or nuts regularly if you have trees or gardens. These are major draws for hungry raccoons.
• Bring in pet food: Never leave pet food outside overnight. Even a small amount is enough to invite raccoons onto your property.
• Seal entry points: Block openings in attics, crawl spaces, and under decks where raccoons may be nesting or denning.

Use deterrents

If raccoons are already visiting, deterrents can discourage repeat appearances without harming the animals. Here are three raccoon deterrents:

• Motion-activated lights and sprinklers are among the most effective tools because raccoons dislike sudden surprises and will often avoid areas where they've been startled before. ‍
• Ammonia-soaked rags placed near entry points mimic the scent of predators and can encourage raccoons to relocate. ‍
• Commercial repellents containing capsaicin (hot pepper) can also be applied around gardens and garbage areas, though they need to be reapplied after rain.

When deterrents don't work then we perform live trapping

For persistent raccoons that don't respond to deterrents, live cage trapping is a humane and effective option. Bait the trap with sweet (and kinda smelly) foods like sardines, canned fish, or cat food. Some source may have marshmallows but it's unhealthy for them. Once trapped, the raccoon should be relocated at least 1 kilometre away from your property to prevent it from returning. This is official General rules for capturing and relocating animals provided by the Ontario Government.

When to call a raccoon pest professional

If raccoons have entered your attic, walls, or crawl space especially if there may be a litter of kits (baby raccoons). It's strongly recommended to contact a licensed wildlife removal service. Professionals can safely remove animals, clean up any contamination (raccoon droppings carry parasites), and seal entry points to prevent future access.

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