If your pet uses a pet door for access in and out of your home, did you know a raccoon or other wild animal can too? Thomas Pest Services recommends avoiding the use of pet doors, so animals like raccoons do not enter your home exposing you and your family to diseases and fleas and ticks that may fall off of the animals as they move around.

If a raccoon, skunk, opossum, stray cat or other unwelcome animal enters a house through a pet door, the animal may have trouble finding his way back out. So what do you do with an animal in the house?

• Stay calm. A panicked animal may run farther inside your house and may cause damage, so you’ll help the situation by keeping cool yourself.
• Contain pets before dealing with the animal. If you have a dog, close them in a room away from the animal, same applies to cats. The animal is going to be mainly concerned about getting back outside, just show them the way!
• If you can do so safely, close doors to other parts of the house.
• Make a trail of marshmallows, cheese bits, or fig bars leading out an open door. Walk behind the animal, banging will help encourage the animal outside.
• Open doors that lead outside. You can also open windows, but put a chair under them so the animal has something to jump up on.
• Leave the room, if possible, and wait quietly for the animal to escape. To tell if the animal is gone, sprinkle a band of flour in front of open doors so that you can see exiting footprints.
• If the animal doesn’t leave after you’ve tried for several hours, call your local wildlife removal company for assistance. Never try to catch or directly handle a wildlife animal, which bite, are dangerous and are associated with diseases.

If you continue to use a pet door, Thomas Pest Services suggests using a lockable pet door to prevent curious nocturnal animals, relocate pet food from right outside the door and/or install a motion sensor light above the door. Getting rid of wildlife animals is dangerous. Wildlife can bite, carry and spread disease, so it best to contact a professional wildlife removal specialist to get rid of animals like raccoons. Wildlife can quickly take over a structure to shelter themselves from the outdoor elements. Contact your Albany wildlife removal company to prevent any damages before they can begin. The Clifton Park wildlife removal experts at Thomas Pest Services can help you today with a free inspection to get rid of squirrels!

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