Dead Raccoon Found In Henrico Had Rabies / Raccoon Removal & Capture – Richmond, VA

Rabid Animals – Raccoons

Rabid animals can pose a significant health risk to Virginian’s and their pets. In Virginia, the top rabid animals include raccoons, skunks, foxes and bats. If you see what you believe is a rabid animal contact your local animal control immediately, then contact us at (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975. Rabid animals in Virginia are a real threat as the article below shows.

Henrico, VA—A dead raccoon found in Western Henrico tested positive for rabies, Animal Protection officials say.

Officers were called to the 8400 block of Marroit Road on October 13, where they found a raccoon who had been killed by a dog.

The raccoon’s body was submitted to the

rabid animals

Richmond & Charlottesville Raccoon Removal

State Lab for rabies testing, and on Tuesday, the test returned positive results.

The dog which killed the raccoon will be quarantined for 45 days, to ensure it did not contract rabies from the raccoon.

Henrico Police Animal Protection would like to remind everyone to be sure to keep their pets’ rabies vaccinations current to ensure the safety of their pets and our community. Please contact Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC at (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975 or visit us on the web at www.virginiaprofessionalwildliferemovalservices.com

We provide animal removal, animal trapping, animal capture and animal control services in the Richmond and Charlottesville areas for raccoons, squirrels, skunks, snakes, birds, bats, opossums, groundhogs and other wildlife pests.

Be Careful! Snakes Like Easter Egg Hiding Places Too.

Expert Snake Removal in Virginia

snake removalDo you have a snake in your yard? Is there a snake in your house? Have a fear of snakes, especially copperhead snakes? Call Virginia Snake Removal Experts at (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975. Beware of snakes when hiding eggs for Easter Egg hunts.

With the warm weather, snakes have been active, but they like to hide in shady or damp areas during the day.

Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC offers some safety tips to avoid incidents with snakes that could spoil the fun.

Don’t hide eggs on the ground where childern will have to reach where they can’t see. That includes under bushes, behind flower pots and rocks or even under pool toys.

Damp areas, such as under bushes with drip systems, are especially appealing to snakes.

If you do find a snake, walk away and don’t try to move it yourself. An estimated 80 to 90 percent of snake bites happen when homeowners try to deal with the snake themselves.

If bitten by a snake, call 911 and stay calm. Keep the bitten area still and elevated. Remove any jewelry or constructing items near the affected area in case of swelling.

Do not drive yourself to the hospital, use ice to cool the bite, cut open the wound and struck to suck out the venom or use a tourniquet.

At least 3 species of venomous snakes make their home in Virginia. However, far more non-venomous snakes are found in the state.

Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC also wants people to understand that killing a snake or other reptile isn’t the best way of dealing with these creatures.

“Wildlife plays an important role in our world. We can co-exist if we understand how.”

For a fee, Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC will remove a snake from your Richmond or Charlottesville property and/or conduct snake inspections. Contact us at (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975 for Central Virginia Snake Removal.

For additional information on Wildlife in Virginia.

Garter Snakes in Richmond & Charlottesville: To be revered or feared?

The weather has been colder than normal in Richmond and Charlottesville, VA, but that hasn’t kept garter snakes from emerging this spring. Tolerant of cold weather, the garter snake may even come out to bask in the sun on warm, winter days, then go back into hibernation when temperatures drop. Once it’s out for good, usually in April, the garter snake is not looking to scare humans, but rather to find a mate. In fact, this snake is rather docile, unless an animal or human provokes it. Call us at (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975 for Virginia Snake Removal Specialist.

A garter snake in Virginia can grow up to 48 inches in length. Its dark body has longitudinal stripes, typically yellow, but sometimes blue or other colors.

Like all snakes, the garter is cold-blooded and needs outside sources of heat to warm its body. In winter, garter snakes live in hibernacula below the frost line, waiting for spring’s arrival. Hibernacula are typically crevices in rocks, a burrowing animal’s tunnel or an ant mound. Garter snakes return to the same hibernacula each year.

Males emerge from the hibernacula first – and some may actually pretend they are females, luring other males away with a fake female odor. He’ll lead the males away and then slither back to the den where females are emerging to mate, provided he can catch them. This time of year, a dozen or more males may swarm one or two females forming what is termed a mating ball.

Some snakes lay eggs, but the garter snake gives birth to live young usually in July and August. Females can bear up to 80 young at one time.

Once born, the young garter snakes are on their own searching for tadpoles, insects and worms. As they grow, they add larger fish, frogs and mice to their diet.

Garter snakes serve an important role in the food chain, providing sustenance to large fish, bull frogs, other snakes, hawks and foxes. Some hawks rely on garter snakes to feed their young.

If a garter snake sees a human, it will usually go the other way – but if a human provokes or picks one up, it may emit a foul odor or bite. The snake’s saliva is toxic to amphibians, but not to humans.

Fun Facts:

•The garter snake was named after decorative garters decorated with longitudinal stripes that men once wore to hold up their socks. When alarmed, garter snakes flatten their bodies showing off these colorful stripes.
•There are 13 subspecies of garter snakes including the Chicago garter snake.
•Snakes are not slimy. The skin consists of a layer of scales made from material similar to human fingernails.
•Snakes can only move forward.
•Snakes smell with their tongues, which is why they constantly flick that part of their body in and out.

Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC removes all types of snakes – poisonous and non-poisonous – in the Richmond and Charlottesville areas. Contact us today for all of your nuisance wildlife removal needs at (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975.

Raccoon Exclusion and Raccoon Damage Repair Services In Richmond and Charlottesville Virginia

Raccoon Removal, Exclusion and Raccoon Damage Repair Services In Richmond and Charlottesville Virginia

raccoon removal

Richmond & Charlottesville Raccoon Removal

Raccoon Removal in Virginia. Call us at (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975. Their distinctive black masks giving them the appropriate appearance, raccoons steal into Richmond and Charlottesville yards like thieves in the night. While Virginia home owners sleep, these nocturnal animal pests, along with skunks opossums and groundhogs, destroy gardens and decimate lawns as they hunt for food.

Raccoons frequently forage in trash cans and dumpsters, scattering trash that attracts other noxious pests. Common home invaders, raccoons foul attic insulation with their urine and feces and introduce dangerous diseases and parasites into Virginia homes that can migrate into living areas, placing your family and pets at serious risk. A primary carrier of rabies, raccoons are responsible for the majority of rabies cases reported in the U.S.

Raccoons Have Adapted to Suburban Life in Richmond and Charlottesville, VA
Highly adaptable, raccoons have learned to thrive in suburban and urban environments. Their ability to adapt quickly, coupled with a lack of natural predators, has allowed raccoon populations to swell in Richmond and Charlottesville where their destructive behavior makes these disease- and parasite-infested animals a serious home and health threat. Viciously aggressive when cornered or protecting their young, raccoons will charge if their den site is invaded during removal attempts.

Virginia homeowners who attempt do-it-yourself raccoon removal are at serious risk of being bitten and possibly infected with rabies. For your own safety and to minimize trauma to the animal, the professional wildlife control experts at Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC should be called in to remove invading raccoons and other nuisance wildlife humanely in keeping with Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries regulations.

A woodland creature that lives in tree hollows or underground dens, raccoons quickly adapted to suburban and city life as development encroached on their natural habitat. Today, raccoons frequently seek shelter in Richmond and Charlottesville homes, particularly in the fall when searching for comfortable winter dens and in the early spring when females look for safe, shelters to give birth and raise their young.

When raccoons invade Virginia homes, they most often seek shelter in attics, crawl spaces and chimneys or harbor under decks and porches. Adept climbers, raccoons will scale brick chimneys, wood columns and overhanging trees to invade attics and uncapped chimneys. With their sharp claws, these powerful animals can tear through protective screens to access homes through rooftop ventilators and attic fans. To gain entrance to attics, raccoons have been known to rip through roof shingles and tear holes in soffits.

Raccoon Identification in Richmond and Charlottesville
Raccoons are dark brown to black with a distinctive black mask across their eyes and a ringed tail. Powerful but slow, these mammals have compact torsos with short legs. A North American native, raccoons are 16 to 28-inch long body and weigh between 8 and 20 pounds, although with plentiful food supplies they can reach a length of 3 feet and weigh as much as 30 pounds. These nocturnal nuisance animals are active year-round but will harbor in their dens for weeks at a time during periods of severe winter cold or deep snow. Once hunted for their fur, raccoons have a dense undercoat that insulates them from the cold, protected by a layer of water-shedding guard hairs.

Raccoons have unusually sensitive and dexterous, almost hand-like, front paws. These animals are noted for their unique behavior of dousing, or “washing,” their food. Their name comes from the Powhatan Indian word “aroughcun” which means “one who rubs with hands.” Once thought to be the animal’s way of cleaning its food, wildlife researchers now believe that raccoons immerse their fore paws in water to soften the horny covering that protects their paws and increase tactile sensation. Omnivorous, raccoons feed on almost anything, including plants, fruit, grain, nuts, insects worms, fish, crayfish, snails, frogs, birds, turtles, eggs and even small mammals.

In mid-April, raccoons give birth to a single litter of two to five kits. The mother stays with her young until late fall, although it is not uncommon for a family unit to stay together for the first winter. In the wild, the life expectancy for these animals is only two to three years, hunting and traffic accidents being the primary causes of death.

Raccoons in Richmond and Charlottesville Are Destructive and Transmit Disease
Foraging raccoons help themselves to garden vegetables, chew on tender plant shoots, peel back strips of sod to get to the tasty grubs underneath, scavenge in compost piles and root through trash cans, strewing garbage across the ground that attracts other animal and insect scavengers. Bold and clever, raccoons will even enter northern New Jersey homes through pet doors to feast on dog food. When raccoons invade human habitats, they bring with them fleas, mites, ticks and other parasites that can harm humans and pets. A reservoir for rabies, raccoons are responsible for the majority of rabies cases in the U.S. and are a leading carrier of canine parvovirus (distemper). Their feces contain roundworms that can infest lawns, infecting pets and playing children. Roundworms can cause severe disability in young children.

When they invade your attic, raccoons will destroy and displace insulation and can rip huge shards from wood rafters while sharpening their claws. Invading raccoons will turn your attic into a latrine, their urine staining the ceilings below and their feces fouling insulation. The unpleasant odor of their pungent musk can permeate your home and take months to dissipate. The dangerous parasites that accompany raccoons when they invade Virginia homes can migrate from attics into homes, placing your family and pets at risk.

Do-It-Yourself Treatment is Risky and Ineffective
Raccoons are clever, curious and intelligent, making them difficult to trap and remove when they invade Richmond and Charlottesville Virginia homes. Homeowners should also be aware that the certain restrictions apply to the trapping and release of nuisance wildlife which is regulated by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

Some Virginia home owners will try to frighten away invading raccoons using home remedies or products marketed on the Internet. Tests conducted by University of California scientists found none of these gadgets or products to be effective against raccoons, including loud noises, rock music, flashing lights, ultrasonic emitters, mothballs, ammonia and even coyote urine. These techniques frightened raccoons away for a day or two, but the animals quickly learned they posed no real threat and returned. Some home “cures” can also be worse than the problem. Mothballs (naphthalene), ammonia and predator urine produce noxious odors that can permeate your home and be impossible to get rid of until the odor dissipates naturally, a process that can take six months or more.

While do-it-yourself wildlife removal is not recommended, Virginia home owners can discourage raccoons from moving in by removing possible food sources and eliminating access paths to potential harborage sites.
• Keep garbage cans covered and secured.
• Do not leave pet food out overnight.
• If you have fruit trees, pick up fallen fruit regularly.
• Secure pet doors at night.
• Cut back overgrown shrubbery and trim overhanging tree branches.

Safe, Humane Raccoon Removal Requires Professional Animal Control Services
Their intelligence, ability to manipulate simple latches and excellent long-term memory make raccoons a challenge to trap. Raccoons are viciously aggressive if cornered or when protecting their young which makes removing these animals from their preferred den sites in the confined spaces of attics, crawl spaces, under porches and under decks dangerous work. Raccoon removal carries a very real risk of being clawed or bitten by these rabies-carrying animals.
The nuisance wildlife control experts at Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975 use their expert knowledge of raccoon biology and behavior to place on-way tunnel traps effectively these traps allow animals to vacate the premises but not gain re-entry. Once the raccoons are locked out we remove nesting materials, sanitize nesting areas and can repair any damage done to your home.

Homeowners should make sure to check their homeowner’s insurance policy as some carriers will cover the cost of raccoon nest and animal fecal matter cleanup and damage repair charges.

Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services – It’s who we are and what we do

Virginia Wildlife Removal, Animal Trapping & Pest Control

(434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975

virginia wildlife removalVirginia Wildlife Removal Services was started due to the increasing need for nuisance wildlife to be humanely removed from homes, commercial properties and other areas. Our goal has always been to safely remove wild animals and restore your Richmond and Charlottesville Virginia home or business to its normal condition, whenever possible.

Our Professionalism, Education and Integrity sets us apart.

Professionalism:

We arrive on time and are clearly identified by our uniforms and trucks. We provide you with the highest level of customer service every time. We try to clearly explain everything we are going to do before we do it and we are always available to answer questions. If we do not feel we can effectively solve your problem we tell you this BEFORE we start, not after!

Education:

Many animal removal technicians have very little training, experience, or education. Here at Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services we put a high priority on advanced education because we believe it enables us to better understand animal behavior, provide effective solutions to various problems, and maintain lifelong scientific learning in this field. Just because your dad or your dad’s dad were trappers DOES NOT make you an effective nuisance wildlife removal and control technician. We are not just trappers, but problem solvers.

Integrity:

We charge a SET fee for trapping and exclusions, which we quote to you UP FRONT. We do NOT charge per trap or per animal caught! Some unethical companies can charge you per animal, and then proceed to trap and catch the SAME animal numerous times costing you much more than it should.

Our normal procedures include checking the live traps to monitor progress, change trap locations as necessary, and changing bait to keep it fresh. We always maintain constant communication with you about our progress. Our customers are what make us successful. Our goal is 100% satisfaction from our customers — they are, after all why we have a thriving business. We love what we do! We provide bat removal, beaver removal, bee control, bird control, deer management, foxes, flying squirrel removal, groundhog removal, mice control, mole removal, opossum removal, raccoon removal, rat removal, skunk removal, snake removal, squirrel removal, vole removal and more. Call us today at (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975.

More & More Residents Reporting Strange Wildlife Behavior In Richmond And Charlottesville, VA

Each year, local public health agencies in the Richmond and Charlottesville Virginia areas receive more and more calls about unusual wild animal behavior.

Some of the calls have been about “strange” behavior in raccoons and foxes. Callers report raccoons and foxes out during the day, looking confused, staggering, having seizures, or just sitting or lying down. In some cases, a person can get very close to the animal and it never moves.

Raccoons are usually night creatures. However, experts say that raccoons are getting used to residential developments.

Seeing raccoons during the day in Richmond and Charlottesville VA has become more common in recent years. These raccoons may not be diseased, but are getting used to being around people.

There are two diseases that could cause strange behaviors in these animals — canine distemper and rabies. Laboratory testing of the animal is the only way to determine if it is diseased or not.

Employees of Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC—a wildlife animal pest removal company servicing both Charlottesville and Richmond, say it is important to stay away from wild animals as well as domesticated pets. They offers the following tips:

What should you do to keep your pets healthy?
• Vaccinate your pets for both distemper and rabies and keep the vaccinations up-to-date
• Keep them away from all wildlife such as raccoons, skunks or foxes
• If your pet is ill or you have questions, contact your veterinarian
• Keep your pets away from other ill pets/animals
• Discuss your pet’s health and vaccinations with your veterinarian
• Know your area and keep a lookout for sick or injured wildlife in Richmond and Charlottesville
• Do not feed the wildlife, keep trash cans covered

What should you do if you see a sick raccoon or other wildlife in Richmond or Charlottesville?
• Stay away from the animal
• Do not approach or attempt to pick it up
• Alert your family, friends, neighbors to the be on the lookout and avoid the animal
• You may notify animal control or the health department, but the animal will not be picked up and tested unless there is a human exposure

Contact Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services at (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975 for all of your animal wildlife pest removal needs in Richmond and Charlottesville, VA.

Could Richmond & Charlottesville, Virginia Be Next? – Officials Round Up Dozens of Sick Raccoons in FL

Raccoons in Richmond and Charlottesville, Virginia carry diseases just like in other parts of the US. They also cause significant damage to homes and businesses. Never handle any wildlife that appears to be sick. Contact Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services for all of your nuisance animal pests removal needs in Richmond and Charlottesville, VA. Call us today at (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975.

Who Do I Call If I Have A Nuisance Wildlife Pest Problem In Charlottesville Or Richmond, Virginia?

If you own a home or business in Charlottesville or Richmond, Virginia, you know that dealing with strange animals is never any fun. And if you don’t have experience in the matter, you need to seek out an expert for help—a company like Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC.

If you’re having trouble with critters showing up on your Charlottesville or Richmond property, contact Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services fast. We know what to do to rid your home or business of its animal troubles.

As a wildlife control company, we are going to make a point to figure what type of animal we’re dealing with before proceeding with any course of action. For instance, you may have trash scattered around your yard every night, but cannot figure out what’s causing the mess. It could be something as simple as a cat, or, on the other hand, it could be a raccoon. It’s hard to figure out what it is if you aren’t an expert. A professional company like ours will know what to do to determine the type of animal that’s at the root of the problem.

Once our wildlife control experts discover what animal is causing all the issues, then it’s a matter of finding out how the animal is getting onto the property. Many times, animals can dig under fences or get in through the smallest cracks or crevices. Our professionals will know how to narrow down the possibilities as far as entry onto the property. As a result, we will keep this in mind when going through the process of how best to keep animals out.

The hardest part of wildlife control is catching the animal. Some animals are easier to catch than others. There are various methods involved in catching wild animals. The thing that our professionals know is that different animals call for different methods of capture. For instance, if the issue involves a snake, our experts are not going to use the same tactics that we would use to catch a possum; and vice versa. The bottom line is that hiring an experienced company like ours will save you time, money and offer peace of mind.

After the animal is caught, it’s essential that our wildlife control specialists properly seal off the opening where the animal is getting in. This way, you can rest assured that the animal doesn’t get in from that location again. Also, our specialists can help in identifying and preventing animals from entering from new locations.

When dealing with critters, you want to make sure whoever handles the problem offers a guarantee. Nothing’s worse than thinking you have all those pests squared away, only to wake up one morning and see one of those same critters staring you in the face. If you’re dealing with a professional company like Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, we will offer a guarantee that the nuisance will be gone or we’ll come out again to remedy the problem.

When you know you have a critter roaming through your Charlottesville or Richmond property, you won’t rest until it’s gone. That’s why you want a wildlife control service company like Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services. We use the most humanely efficient methods to rid your home or business of animal pest problems.

Some of the services we offer Charlottesville and Richmond, Virginia homes and businesses include bat removal, bat control, beaver removal, beaver trapping, bird removal, bird control, squirrel removal, squirrel trapping, raccoon removal, raccoon trapping, skunk removal, skunk trapping, snake removal, snake trapping, opossum removal, opossum trapping, groundhog removal, groundhog trapping, mole removal, mole control, fox trapping, fox removal, coyote trapping, coyote removal, chipmunk trapping, chipmunk removal, and turtle trapping and turtle removal. Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC is licensed and insured and provides 24/7 service to home owners and businesses. Call (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975 to have us solve your wildlife problem.

Masked Marauders Mix It Up With Mutts

Written by Eric Turowski,

Published: Thursday, 16 December 2010

The sounds of mammalian combat broke the still early morning air at 3 a.m. on Liberty Avenue Dec. 9.

Two dogs discovered masked bandits entering the home via a dog door, and a melee between two canines and four carnivores ensued.

Victim dogs, one a lab mix weighing 54 pounds, the other a dachshund mix weighing less than 10 pounds, got the worst of it, with the larger dog receiving the brunt of the injuries.

Both pets were rushed to an animal hospital in San Leandro.

The dogs, both current on their rabies vaccinations, are currently under house quarantine.

The raccoons in question were described only as wearing masks. They fled in an unknown direction.

Police suspect that dog food and water were kept near the dog door, and the masked bandits were aware of the goods and the easy access.

A source at APD believes that a scout raccoon discovered the food and returned with the entire pack for an early-morning feast — a meal that was interrupted by the dogs defending their territory.

However, entry via dog door is not only a raccoon standby.

Human bandits frequently use dog doors as a means to burglarize a home.

APD recommends not having a dog door at all, or if you must have one, it should feature a lock.

CHARLOTTESVILLE AND RICHMOND VIRGINIA SQUIRREL REMOVAL AND SQUIRREL CONTROL – VIRGINIA PROFESSIONAL WILDLIFE REMOVAL SERVICES, LLC – (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975
www.VirginiaProfessionalWildlifeRemovalServices.com

Raccoons Invade Alameda Home Through Doggy Door and Attack the Family Dogs

By: Rob Hugger
12-16-10
www.examiner.com

A month ago, DawgHugger told you about a raccoon dog walker attack in Alameda on an unsuspecting lady out for an evening walk with her dog. That was the sixth such incident in several months.  Now there are ten. And the raccoons appear to be increasing their level of aggression. Four people have been bitten and several dogs hurt.

Now the raccoons have taken their ‘Procyon terrorism’ streak to a new height – they have discovered doggy doors – and use them to invade homes.

In the latest incident, a group of four raccoons entered a home through a doggy door and helped themselves to the pet food and attacked and injured two family pet dogs when they confronted them.  The injuries were not life immediately life threatening, but the two dogs are now under rabies quarantine for the next 30 days

Alameda police are warning residents about vicious raccoons who are attacking people and animals.
It’s the 10th such incident in the last six months, and the police and animal experts are urging homeowners to keep any pet doors shut.

There have been reports and incidences of  raccoons out at night in Alameda over the last six months, looking for food in garbage and recycling cans . Now that they have discovered doggy doors, they’re going into homes to help themselves to any available foodstuffs – or the family pet when they don’t find easy food readily available (Check back on Saturday about this disturbing fact)

Raccoons may be targeting dogs as potential food competitors. This has animal control people concerned as the intensely aggressive behavior exhibited by these Alameda raccoons increases. One suggested reason for the heightened raccoon viciousness is that Alameda is an island, so an increased raccoon population has added stress in the competition for food (More on this on Saturday).

Daniel Wilson from the Alameda Vector Control  has advised residents to make sure their trash cans are well sealed when they put them out for collection – and to start keeping doggy doors closed at night.

And, when walking your dog, especially at night, be aware of your surroundings, because raccoons can come out of nowhere and attack.

CHARLOTTESVILLE AND RICHMOND VIRGINIA SQUIRREL REMOVAL AND SQUIRREL CONTROL – VIRGINIA PROFESSIONAL WILDLIFE REMOVAL SERVICES, LLC – (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975
www.VirginiaProfessionalWildlifeRemovalServices.com

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