Professional Wildlife Control in Toronto: Raccoons, Skunks, Bats & Squirrels

If you're dealing with unwanted wildlife in your attic, shed, or under your deck, Abell offers fast and safe wildlife removal in Toronto. Our team specializes in humane wildlife control to protect your home and family.

Toronto’s mix of neighbourhoods, parks, and ravines near Lake Ontario creates the perfect environment for raccoons, skunks, bats, and squirrels, especially during spring and fall when they seek shelter to nest or overwinter.

At Abell, we know even a small intrusion can cause major issues like chewed wires, damaged insulation, or health hazards. Our experts provide humane wildlife removal, seal entry points, and use long-term prevention strategies to keep animals out safely and effectively. Contact us today to book an inspection and protect your home.

Common Wildlife in Toronto

Raccoons are highly adaptable creatures that often invade residential properties in search of secure shelter. They can inflict serious damage on homes, especially in vulnerable spots like attics, rooftops, sheds, and the spaces beneath decks. 

• As skilled climbers, raccoons can easily reach rooftops by climbing trees or scaling nearby structures. Once there, they may rip through shingles, soffits, or roof vents to enter attic spaces. Inside, they often tear up insulation, damage air ducts, and chew on electrical wiring, posing fire risks and leading to costly home repairs.
• Raccoon feces in attics can introduce serious health hazards, as they may carry parasites and diseases such as roundworm, leptospirosis, and histoplasmosis.
• These animals may also burrow beneath decks or sheds to create dens, which can weaken foundations and cause further property damage.
• Implementing humane wildlife exclusion methods and sealing all potential entry points is critical to stopping raccoons from re-entering the home.
• In cases where insulation or wiring has been affected, professional attic restoration following raccoon wildlife removal may be required.

Skunks are best known for their strong, foul-smelling spray, but they can also create numerous challenges for homeowners dealing with wildlife intrusions. 

• These animals commonly dig up lawns and gardens in search of grubs and insects, and they often burrow beneath decks, porches, sheds, and crawl spaces, which can compromise the integrity of building foundations.
• Skunks are also a public health concern, as they may carry diseases such as rabies, leptospirosis, and roundworms, which can be transmitted to both humans and pets.
• Their droppings and urine can contaminate outdoor areas, and the defensive spray they release can cling to surfaces and pets, causing persistent odors that often require professional skunk odor removal services.
• Addressing a skunk infestation typically requires licensed skunk removal experts and humane residential wildlife trapping to safely handle the situation.
• Following removal, installing wildlife exclusion barriers and sealing potential entry points is essential to preventing skunks from returning to your property.

While bats play a valuable ecological role by helping to reduce insect populations, their presence inside or around residential properties can cause serious issues. 

• Bats frequently gain access to homes through tiny openings in rooflines, chimneys, soffits, or wall vents. Once inside, their urine and guano (bat droppings) can contaminate insulation, damage electrical components, and even compromise structural materials.
• Guano buildup may lead to the growth of a fungus that causes histoplasmosis, a respiratory illness that poses significant health risks, especially in confined areas like attics.
• Bats are also potential carriers of rabies, which can be transmitted through contact, bites, or scratches.
• Once they establish a roost, bats are not easy to remove without the help of trained professionals who specialize in bat exclusion services, including the use of one-way bat doors and other humane exclusion devices.
• A detailed attic inspection is essential to locate all entry points and assess the scope of any infestation.
• Effective bat control strategies for homes include sealing wildlife entry areas, installing bat-proof vents, and taking preventative measures to ensure bats don’t return. Working with a wildlife removal expert is often the safest and most effective solution.

Although squirrels may appear harmless, they can create significant problems when they gain access to homes or attic spaces. 

• These agile rodents can slip through tiny openings around rooflines, soffits, vents, or even gaps near chimneys to enter attics and wall cavities. Inside, they gather materials like insulation and wiring to construct nests, often leading to considerable damage.
• Squirrels are notorious for gnawing on electrical wires, which can result in power outages, short circuits, or even electrical fires.
• In some cases, they’ve torn apart roof vents from the inside while trying to escape or enlarge their nesting space, causing additional structural and weatherproofing issues.
• They can also transmit diseases such as leptospirosis and salmonella, and may bring parasites like fleas, mites, or ticks into the home environment.
• Addressing a squirrel infestation often involves soffit wildlife control, animal-proof repairs, and professional wildlife removal services to prevent them from coming back.

How to Keep Wildlife Away

• Check rooflines for signs of gnawing or loose shingles and make any necessary repairs right away.
• Install a chimney cap to keep wildlife like bats and raccoons from getting inside.
• Secure all roof and attic openings, including vents and fans, to block pest entry through soffits and other vulnerable areas.
• Trim back any tree branches that hang near the roof to prevent raccoons and squirrels from gaining access.
• Avoid leaving pet food outdoors, and regularly clean up fallen birdseed or fruit.
• Keep sheds and decks well-maintained and sealed off to deter raccoons, skunks, and squirrels from nesting underneath.
• Make sure garbage bins are tightly closed to reduce attractants.
• Think about installing professional wildlife barriers and exclusion systems to prevent future animal intrusions.

Leave It to the Pros

Wildlife can be unpredictable and dangerous. Trying to handle animals on your own can put you at risk. It’s safer and more effective to call wildlife control professionals.

At Abell, we specialize in providing safe, humane, and long-term solutions for wildlife control. Our comprehensive process begins with a thorough wildlife inspection to identify entry points, assess damage, and evaluate potential health risks. We utilize one-way doors that allow animals to exit safely, and we then securely seal entry points with animal-proof materials to prevent future intrusions. When necessary, we employ humane traps and ensure animals are relocated by local wildlife laws. Our wildlife control methods are designed to protect your home, ensuring your family and pets remain safe while addressing any wildlife issues effectively and humanely.

Think you have wildlife in the attic? Call now for expert, humane wildlife removal in Toronto. Our trusted local team delivers fast, professional service backed by years of experience and a commitment to ethical wildlife control. Whether you need a one-time removal or long-term prevention, we're here 24/7 to help, and every job is backed by our satisfaction guarantee, or your money back!

FAQ

Is wildlife control humane? Yes, wildlife control can be humane when done properly. At Abell Pest Control, humane wildlife control means using safe, harm-free methods to remove animals like raccoons, squirrels, skunks, and bats, and to prevent them from returning. This includes techniques such as one-way doors that allow animals to exit on their own, live trapping with relocation (where permitted by law), and sealing entry points to keep them out. The goal is to protect both the homeowner and the animal while adhering to local regulations and ethical wildlife practices.

How can I tell if wildlife is living in my attic? Common signs include scratching or thumping noises at night, visible damage to roof vents or soffits, droppings in the attic, and insulation that has been torn or flattened, often caused by raccoons, squirrels, or bats.

Are raccoons dangerous to humans or pets? Yes. Raccoons can carry diseases such as rabies, leptospirosis, and raccoon roundworm. They may also become aggressive if cornered or if their young are nearby, which poses a risk to both humans and pets.

Can raccoons and squirrels cause structural damage to my home? Definitely. Raccoons and squirrels can tear through shingles, damage soffits and vents, ruin insulation, and gnaw on electrical wiring, resulting in expensive repairs and potential fire hazards.

Why do raccoons, skunks, squirrels, and bats choose attics, chimneys, or spaces under decks as their shelter? These animals seek out quiet, enclosed spaces for warmth, safety from predators, and nesting, especially during the spring and fall. Attics, chimneys, wall voids, and spaces under decks offer ideal conditions for them to raise their young or to overwinter.

What should I do if I see a raccoon or skunk on my property? Avoid approaching it. Raccoons and skunks can be unpredictable and may carry diseases. Contact a wildlife removal professional from Abell to assess the situation and determine if there’s a nest or entry point into your home.

How can I prevent raccoons, squirrels, skunks, and bats from entering my home again? Prevention involves sealing all potential entry points, installing chimney caps and vent covers, trimming tree branches near the roof, and securing food sources like trash and pet food. Professional exclusion techniques can help ensure long-term protection.

How much does wildlife removal cost in Toronto? 

Wildlife removal costs can vary depending on the species, the severity of the infestation, and the services required (such as exclusion, cleanup, or repairs). For a customized quote, contact Abell Pest Control for an on-site inspection and estimate.