Tag: Animal Attacks

What To Look For In A Virginia Nuisance Animal Wildlife Removal And Control Company

Blog, Distemper, Raccoons

Wildlife removal is our specialty. If you are in need of a company in the Richmond or Charlottesville Virginia areas to provide nuisance animal wildlife removal services there are certain things to consider. First, there are two types of companies out there, pest control operators (PCOs) and wildlife control operators (WCOs). Pest control operators (PCOs) are your typical companies that handle bugs, mice and rats. On the other hand, most wildlife control operators (WCOs) do not handle insects, mice and rats–they only handle wildlife. With us, your in luck. We are a dual licensed company capable of providing wildlife removal and pest control services.

Because of the current economy, some pest control companies are attempting to offer wildlife removal services. Unfortunately, most neither have the necessary training, experience and proper state licensing. You would not hire a plumber to repair the wiring in your home or an electrician to do your plumbing. Likewise, you should not hire a bug control company to solve your nuisance wildlife problem. When searching for a company to solve your nuisance animal wildlife problems in the Richmond and Charlottesville Virginia areas or elsewhere, the company you hire should have at a minimum three things:

1. A local business license,
2. Commercial liability insurance, and
3. A Commercial Nuisance Animal Permit – Issued By The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

A company CANNOT get one permit to cover all employees. Each employee is required to have their own permit.

Finally, don’t be afraid to ask for references. Just because a company has the three items listed above is no guarantee that they have the knowledge, skills and abilities to solve your Richmond and Charlottesville Virginia nuisance animal wildlife problem. Wildlife control operators do not necessarily consider themselves as trappers. While trapping animals is part of the job, we are problem solvers. No two nuisance animal wildlife problems are the same, and some animal species are extremely unique and are difficult for even the most experienced wildlife control operator (WCO). We tell our customers that the only certainty with nuisance animal wildlife is their uncertainty and unpredictability.

If you live in the Richmond or Charlottesville Virginia area and need a company with the knowledge, skills, abilities, and professionalism to handle your nuisance animal wildlife problem contact Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC at (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975. We offer the humane and efficient removal of ALL types of animal wildlife. Some of the animals we handle include, but are not limited to: bats, birds, beavers, squirrels, raccoons, snakes, skunks, opossums, groundhogs, moles, voles, foxes, coyotes, muskrats and turtles. Feel free to call us with any of your Richmond or Charlottesville VA animal wildlife problems. If you don’t own a home or business in our service area, we have a network of other wildlife control operators across Virginia that we know and trust that can help you.

We provide residential, commercial and industrial animal trapping, wildlife removal, animal control and wildlife exclusion services 24/7 in the Richmond VA and Charlottesville VA areas and our work is guaranteed!

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Raccoons In Attic, Raccoon Removal | Richmond | Charlottesville | Virginia

Animal Damage, Charlottesville, Henrico, Rabies, Raccoons, Removing Animals From Chimneys, Richmond, Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services

Raccoon Removal From Attics

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

Do you have raccoons in attic? Richmond Raccoon removal and control in Virginia is one of the more common calls that most animal removal companies like Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC in Virginia receive throughout the entire year. Richmond is a large metropolis area and the abundance of raccoons in attic and other nuisance animals is thriving. Richmond Raccoon removal and control is a very common service that is needed throughout the entire Virginia area. There are some common problems that are associated with raccoon removal in the Richmond area, some of the problems are:

• Raccoons in attic
• Raccoons tearing up your attic insulation
• Raccoons Tearing up your duct work
• Raccoons digging holes in your attic screen

Raccoons can be a nuisance in Richmond, VA

Raccoons in Richmond, VA seem to find many different ways to get themselves in trouble. They turn over trash cans, get into your attic space of your home, get under your crawlspace, dig holes under your porch, dig big holes in your yard and many other things that raccoons do in Richmond and people consider a nuisance. There are many different ways to handle a nuisance raccoon problem in Richmond VA. An inexperienced person should never try to trap or handle a raccoon. Raccoons can be one of the most aggressive animals that we deal with in the Richmond area. Raccoons in this area will bite, scratch, claw and do whatever is necessary to defend their home, which is usually in your attic, or defend their babies.

Baby Raccoons in Attic in Richmond & Charlottesville

Baby raccoons are typically born in the months of March-May. Raccoons can be very protective of their young and you should never attempt to grab or remove the baby raccoons from the nesting area in which the female has prepared. She is often times in very close vicinity and can be at the aid of her baby raccoons in a matter of seconds. She will be very aggressive in defending her babies and any attempt to remove the babies from their nest should not be made by anyone without the qualifications or the equipment to do so properly.

Baby Raccoons in Richmond usually weigh between one and 2 pounds at birth and they will be totally mobile by the age of eight weeks. At eight weeks of age the raccoon babies will start traveling to and from the den area whether its in your attic or in your chimney, to locate a food source. Raccoons find food sources in your lawn or trashcan. Raccoons are considered opportunistic feeders and are found throughout Richmond Virginia.

Don’t let the raccoons of Richmond overtake the attic or the crawlspace of your home. Contact Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, a professional raccoon removal company, immediately at (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975. Raccoons can be a very dangerous animal and you should never attempt to remove and control a raccoon without the proper equipment and knowledge.

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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

Animal Attacks, Animal Damage, Bats, Beavers, Charlottesville, Distemper, Foxes, Golf Courses, Henrico, Histoplasmosis, Moles, Odor Control, Odor Removal, Opossums, Rabies, Raccoons, Removing Animals From Chimneys, Richmond, Skunk Odor, Skunk Odors, Skunks, Snakes, Squirrels, Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, Voles, White Nose Syndrome, WNS

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

Animal Attacks, Animal Damage, Rabies, Raccoons

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

Animal Attacks, Rabies, Raccoons

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

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Rabid Skunk Attacks Family’s Dog

Animal Attacks, Rabies, Skunks

From http://www.thepilot.com/news/2010/nov/24/rabid-skunk-attacks-familys-dog/

By John Chappell – Wednesday, November 24, 2010

A rabid skunk attacked a family dog near Robbins in the early morning hours last Monday.

Animal Control officers had to put down three beloved pets whose inoculations were out of date after tests confirmed that the skunk did have rabies.

“I woke up hearing barking,” David Sanders said. “A skunk was in the dog pen fighting Sandy. She was a white Pekingese. They fought for 45 minutes, but she would not let go. All I had was a shotgun.”

Sanders said he couldn’t get a clear shot on the skunk that wouldn’t also hit his pet. Two other dogs were in the pen, but not in the fight.

“Cookie, also a white Pekingese, who was her pup, and our male Rue-ru,” he said. “It was about 3 in the morning. I went out and my first thought was, ‘What is that terrible smell?’ It was still in my nose the next day at the ER.

“Everywhere I went for three days I could smell it. I still don’t know how that skunk got in. There was no break in the pen.”

There was a shepherd dog in a second lot, but the Sanderses lost not only Sandy but also both the other Pekingese once rabies was confirmed.

“Animal Control had to put all three down,” he said. “It was a hard lesson. If you want to keep your dogs, get them a rabies shot.”

Moore County Animal Control makes house calls to administer rabies vaccinations for a $5 charge. Preventing the dread disease is one thing at the top of Al Carter’s list. He is director of operations at the center.

Rabies has been on the wane in the county of late, down to only four instances in 2010.

“Two skunks and two raccoons,” Carter said Tuesday in a telephone interview. “Rabies is somewhat of a cyclical disease. When an animal gets it, it dies. We have been on a down side the last couple of years. That’s good. It is a terrible way to die.”

A rabid dog got into the compound when Carter was in Special Forces. Soldiers had to get the shots. The Army showed them film of people dying from rabies.

“Even sedated, they were in agony,” he said. “It’s real. It’s a dangerous disease. The virus attacks the nervous system, jumps from synapse to synapse slowly until it reaches the medulla.”

That’s the part of the brain of a suspected infected animal that is sent off to be checked. In this case, tests showed Sanders’ invading skunk was rabid. Animal Control advised him to go to an emergency room or be checked by his family doctor right away.

“We went the next morning,” Sanders said. “They checked me over and didn’t find any cuts or any scratches where I could get infected.”

He didn’t have to take the shots. They are very costly.

“There have been improvements,” Carter said. “It isn’t the ones they used to have to give in the stomach. I think the first one now is strongly prophylactic, and there are four to six more after that. It’s not cheap. It costs around $8,000.”

All three of the Sanderses’ pets had to be destroyed. Their alternative would have been to have them boarded for observation in a clinic for six months. That runs about $2,500 per dog, Carter estimated.

Had Sanders himself needed the shots and had he had all four of their dogs boarded, that skunk attack would have cost about $20,000, according to Carter.

“We have very little wiggle room when the tags are out-of-date,” Carter said. “The only other option is to board them at a licensed veterinary clinic.”

Even that would not guarantee survival, as one or more would still have to die if the disease developed. The slow growth of the disease can take months before symptoms can be seen.

“It comes out in saliva,” Carter said. “We say it ‘sheds’ through the saliva.”

Even though 2010 has seen fewer instances, Carter wants local residents to be aware of the danger, be cautious around wild creatures such as foxes, raccoons and skunks, and get their pets protected.

“Rabies is dangerous,” he said. “It is real, and it is in Moore County.”

Call us at (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975 for animal removal, animal trapping, animal control and pest control services in Central Virginia including Richmond VA and Charlottesville VA.

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Expert: Wild Animals Belong in the Wild

Animal Attacks, Rabies, Raccoons

Updated: Friday, 19 Nov 2010, 7:01 PM EST
Published : Friday, 19 Nov 2010, 6:47 PM EST

By: PAUL YATES/myfoxatlanta

ATLANTA – There was a warning Friday for people who try to keep wild animals as pets. On Thursday, authorities charged a Newton County man after raccoons attacked his daughter.

Newton County investigators said the raccoons could go in and out of the house through open windows.

Michael Ellis has spent years trying to return wild animals that people have tried to domesticate to the wild.

Ellis is the director of the non-profit group, Atlanta Wild Animal Rescue Effort or AWARE. Ellis said the attacks involving wild animals cared for as pets are sadly familiar.

Michael Wayne Cannon was charged with holding game without a permit and unlawful possession of wildlife after his 9-month-old daughter was attacked by two raccoons that had earlier been bottle-fed when the animals were brought to the family’s home in June.

Ellis said raccoons and other animals may appear to have been domesticated when young, but he says they never become tame.

AWARE is devoted to returning rescued animals to the wild if possible.

Currently, Ellis is caring for a young Bald Eagle that was found with injured wings. A bullet was lodged in one of the eagle’s wings.

The two misdemeanor charges in the Newton County case were brought by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

The maximum penalty on each charge is a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Call us at (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975 for wildlife removal, wildlife trapping, animal control and pest control services in Central Virginia including the Richmond VA and Charlottesville VA areas.

, , , , , , , , , , ,

Raccoon Attacks Woman Walking Her Dog

Rabies, Raccoons

By Jennifer K. Rumple
Correspondent

ALAMEDA — A woman will be undergoing rabies treatment the next few weeks after a weekend attack involving several raccoons. Alameda County Vector Control also is amping-up its investigation into aggressive wildlife on the island after the latest raccoon attack, the seventh reported since June. All incidents involved people walking their small dogs.

Rachel Campos de Ivanov, 33, said she was walking her 20-pound Yorkshire terrier Dougie around 11 p.m. Sunday along Central Avenue toward Eighth Street. Dougie began barking uncontrollably when Campos de Ivanov spotted “a pair of eyes” near the fence lining the baseball diamond at Washington Park.

“I was trying to calm the dog down and saw the raccoon walking toward us. Then I saw four more run down from the trees and I started to run as fast as I could, dragging the dog,” recalled Campos de Ivanov, who tripped while trying to get away. “My dog was barking, trying to fight them off and I was trying to protect my face while on the ground. I was wearing long pants and a jacket, my face was the only thing exposed.”

One raccoon grabbed onto her right leg and bit her.

“It wasn’t a terrible bite. Not super painful, but it was a puncture on my leg,” she said. “The raccoons were huge. Definitely bigger than my dog and I definitely felt outnumbered. There was a lot of snarling and barking. They were going after each other for sure. I was terrified.”

Campos de Ivanov said she was screaming as loud as she could as she stumbled to her feet and ran home. She hailed a patrolling police officer who took a report. She was treated for her injuries at Kaiser in Walnut Creek. Dougie suffered a few scratches, but nothing serious.

Alameda County Vector Control Officer David Gould said there were “no giant red flags” when he surveyed the incident area today at Washington Park. Gould, who’s been with vector control the 20 years, said he did find raccoon paw marks around some garbage cans and “too much food equals too many animals.”

“When there is more food than territory and wildlife is fighting for space, they’re going to get pretty ornery,” Gould said. “I don’t have an answer for what’s going on other than Alameda is an island and raccoons crowd together for food, you get too many of them.”

He added, “It’s a mater of enforcing garbage laws really. Garbage should be covered. I would appreciate the garbage ordinance was a bit more enforced because I think it’s the root of the problem.

“People think the animals are the root of the problem, but it’s the environmental conditions,” Gould said. “And if you don’t address those, it’s like digging a hole in water.”

There has never been a reported case of a raccoon with rabies in Alameda County, according to Vector Control. Rabies shots treatment is used as a precautionary measure if the skin has been broken.

All the reported incidents involved small dogs barking when they encountered a raccoon, triggering the wild animal’s response to attack.

“It’s a big concern that this is not the first raccoon attack that’s happened in Alameda and it’s a significant hazard for people walking their dogs,” said Campos de Ivanov. “There are a lot of old people in the neighborhood who walk their dogs too. Thank goodness I could run away.”

Call us at (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975 for animal removal, animal trapping, animal control and pest control services in Central Virginia including the Richmond VA and Charlottesville VA areas.

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Baby in Raccoon Attack Out of Hospital

Animal Attacks, Rabies, Raccoons

By Julia Harding
November 11, 2010

ATLANTA – One week after a 9-month-old baby girl was attacked by raccoons while sleeping in her own crib, the child was released from the hospital Thursday.

Last Wednesday, the child was hospitalized after two raccoons got into a Mansfield home and repeatedly bit the infant while she was sleeping in her crib.

The child was in critical condition after suffering injuries to her head and ears.

Investigators said the child was released from the hospital Thursday and sources said the child was in the care of family members.

Newton County deputies said after investigation on how and why the raccoons got into the home, charges are pending. Investigators have not said what the charges are or who will be charged.

Call us at (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975 for raccoon removal, raccoon trapping, animal control and pest control services in Central Virginia including the Richmond VA and Charlottesville VA areas.

, , , , , , , , , , , ,