Raccoons in Brielle home creating havoc - Wildlife Removal/Animal Control in Brielle, NJ
Challenge
A family in Brielle was hearing strange noises for a couple nights in a row that was coming from their attic and on top of the roof. They would have chalked it up to the wind whipping off the nearby river, but Jack, their vigilant dog, heard it too. And Jack, who rules the roost of this house, was not going to quietly sit back and do nothing. There was only room for one four-legged guest in this house, and that was him! All night long, Jack would bark and run around in intricate patterns to alert everyone in the home, and possibly their neighbors as well, that danger was afoot. The homeowners were losing sleep not only because of the wildlife infestation, but also because of Jack!
The male homeowner, at the insistence of the female homeowner, was sent up into the attic with broom in hand as his only protection, to see what was lurking above. Sure enough, he saw a raccoon. Like many homeowners, he tried to take care of the problem himself by setting a commercially bought trap in the attic. However, wildlife removal involves a lot more than setting traps. An experienced wildlife technician is able to identify the movement of the animals, and strategically set traps in appropriate locations. Also, once captured, wildlife can be vicious. There is always the potential for serious injury from bites or clawing when capturing or transporting animals for relocation. In short, nuisance wildlife removal is dangerous business. It’s not a DIY project for homeowners and should not be attempted by someone who is inexperienced with wildlife behavior. And it’s not just risk of injury. More often than not, like with this Brielle residence, the traps were not set correctly and the outcome was unsuccessful.Successful wildlife removal requires knowledge of animals, their feeding and movement habits, what they look for in a nest, and many other factors. Also, the wildlife technician determines the access points, and makes sure that wildlife is excluded from returning. Wildlife control is not just about capturing the wildlife that’s there, it is also about preventing future infestations.
Solution
After the homeowners’ failed DIY attempt, they did what they should have done at the outset: they contacted Cowleys nuisance wildlife removal for help. I was dispatched to take care of the problem. After talking with the homeowners to get a better understanding of the problem, I conducted a thorough outdoor inspection. To resolve any infestation problem, it is critical to find the entry point so that it can be eventually sealed once the wildlife is captured. Here, the access route to the roof was clear. The raccoon was able to access the roof by climbing up an outdoor shower enclosure. If there is a recurring wildlife problem, the homeowners will need to modify the enclosure to block access to the roof.
Once on the roof, it was easy for the raccoon to find his way into the attic. There was a vent that, at first blush, appeared to be in perfect condition. However, upon closer inspection, the raccoon had torn a hole in the screening that was hidden from plain view. Raccoons and other wildlife can be persistent creatures if they want to find a way inside your home. If there is not an opening already there, they will look for a weak spot in the home and make one themselves.
I set my traps on the roof near the shower enclosure and chose the particular bait that I believed this raccoon could not resist. I figured right because the next morning I got a call from a very excited homeowner that the raccoon was stuck in the trap. For this particular trespasser, the jig was up. After making sure there were no other critters in residence, I patched up the vent screen to block the access point.
The homeowners were happy that the wildlife was out of their home and they could finally have a quiet night’s sleep. I’m confident that Jack was just as satisfied since he could now go back to sleeping instead of all-night guard duty.
