US Animal control

Professional Licensed Wildlife Removal

Wildlife Removal and Exclusion Specialist

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* Attic or crawlspace noises?

* Garbage cans raided?

* Excessive digging around foundation?

* Bad smells in walls or vents?

All your wildlife problems from squirrels destroying your attic to animals digging up your yard can be solved by calling

US Animal Control.   We are wildlife professionals that deal with all types of wildlife problems on a daily basis, and what may surprise you, is an ordinary everyday occurrence to US Animal Control. Call us any time of day or night to allow us to help solve your animal problems @

We service this county everyday.   We are your local wildlife professional.

After removing the nuisance animal we  can repair the damage the animal has inflicted on your dwelling or structure.

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Problem nuisance animal links and information.

Opossum           Squirrel               Raccoon           Skunk Snake       Beaver    

  Birds   Feral cats Bats       Deer       Dead       Rodents Groundhogs

foxes

Squirrel removal and squirrel control can be very challenging.  It will require many different types of tools and ladders to complete this task. Most squirrel control service work is at the roof line if the house or dwelling. Properly trained & licensed exclusion professionals will make squirrel control, problem free. State animal control officers will respond free of charge when a squirrel is in the living areas of your home.

Raccoon control and removal is very dangerous work. Raccoons have a higher possibility of carrying rabies and will be aggressive if cornered in the attic or inside your chimney. Most county and state animal control officials will respond to a raccoon inside you living areas of your home at no charge. When the raccoon takes up residence in your yard, crawlspace, attic, and chimney then you need a professional. Most wildlife removal and control professionals have had a rabies pre-exposure vaccine administered to them.

Skunk control and removal will always be unpredictable. The spray from a skunk can linger for weeks. unless you are very brave and or very confident, always have a professional remove these friendly but smelly creatures.

Opossum trapping and removal is less dangerous than most other wildlife control. it is still not for everyone.  The opossum is part of the kangaroo family. usually the opossum resides in the lower areas of your dwelling. The opossum usually feeds on the dead caucus of other animals. Trapping, removal and exclusion is the best way to handle these creatures.

Snakes get the worst publicity of all. They have been feared since biblical times. Although snakes are sometimes thought to stalk humans that's quite untrue. they're very east to predict. Food, heat and water is all they pursue. Take any of these things out of the equation and the snake leaves. Wildlife control professionals know how to remove the factors and then remove the snake problem.

Beavers destroy man made habitat, but create much needed wetlands. The beaver will never stop tearing down trees and blocking waterways. Most humans cannot tolerate beavers when they devour the ornamental trees that humans plant .

Birds crap all over everything. from starlings nesting in vents to pigeons roosting at areas where humans do business, birds create many environmental hazards.

Bats in the United States are considered carriers of rabies and should be excluded by professionals.  There are to many variables in which to consider in bat control and exclusion. Every situation is unique and should be evaluated and handled by a state licensed wildlife animal control professional. Experience is the key in removing these critters. From vents with a maternity colony to completely infested buildings, bat exclusion work is the most detailed work that can be done by the certified professional.

Lets Get Started

South Carolina SC  residents love the outdoors: outdoor recreation, trapping, wildlife watching, hunting, fishing, gardening, hiking and camping in addition to South Carolina SC  adventure sports like rock climbing, white water rafting and canoeing, skiing and other activities. Many South Carolina SC  residents enjoy simply watching wildlife. Nest boxes for birds, bats, squirrels, raccoons, armadillos, snakes, opossums and other wildlife are popular items purchased or constructed by many people. South Carolina SC  residents spend large amounts of money feeding wildlife -- primarily birds. In addition, gardening, landscaping and wildlife observation are popular past times for young and old alike. While many South Carolina SC  residents enjoy watching wildlife, sometimes wildlife interferes with other human activities. Wildlife eat our birdseed, dig up our gardens and landscape plants, and eat or damage our fruit, flowers and vegetables. When wildlife populate a place where they are unwanted or cause damage to valuable plants or structures, they are no longer appreciated. Instead they become a nuisance and need to be trapped and removed. We will discuss some basic principles for dealing humanely with nuisance wildlife.

Dont Break the Law / Legal Issues

South Carolina SC  State and federal laws protect nearly all South Carolina SC  wildlife. These laws regulate which species can be harassed, harvested, trapped, hunted or harmed. Wildlife are generally defined as free-ranging, terrestrial animals. Fish are usually treated separately by the states. This definition excludes feral animals like cats. Generally, all South Carolina SC  wildlife are protected and cannot be harmed. This usually includes snakes, lizards, frogs and toads, and all wild animals. There are exceptions, and you should learn the laws if you work with nuisance wildlife. These laws can be found on the website of the state agency responsible for wildlife protection. In South Carolina SC , that agency is the Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) of the South Carolina SC  Department of Natural Resources (DNR)  All native birds are federally protected in the United States by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (http://laws.fws.gov/lawsdigest/migtrea.html). Non-native and non-protected exotics are the House Sparrow , European Starling , Domestic Pigeon or Rock Dove , the Monk parakeet , and the Eurasian collared dove . This law is a strict liability law with no requirement to prove intent. This means that enforcement is absolute and not discretionary. South Carolina SC  residents may not pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill or possess at any time any migratory bird or any part, nest or egg. This includes all feathers, eggs, shells, nest or other part. Federal salvage permits are required to possess any bird. For the purposes of this law, all birds are considered migratory. The best advice is to leave all birds alone and as you find them. Licensed rehabilitators only can care for injured birds. Other bird protection laws include the Bald Eagle Protection Act (http://ipl.unm.edu/cwl/fedbook/eagleact.html) and the Endangered Species Act (http://endangered.fws.gov/ESA/ESA.html). South Carolina SC  residents can protect property from wildlife committing or about to commit damage. South Carolina SC  residents can obtain permits to trap house mice because, as an exotic species, they are not protected. Consider lethal measures as a last resort, however. Most South Carolina SC  residents can deal quite effectively with wildlife using safe, non-lethal means.

Wildlife Removal Help Is Available

South Carolina SC  residents seeking assistance for dealing with nuisance wildlife have several avenues available to them. Options are outlined here. Squirrel removal and raccoon removal require specialized equipment.County Agriculture Extension Agent -- located in most South Carolina SC  counties, the county agent will provide advice on nuisance wildlife control, damage prevention and individual removal. South Carolina SC  agencies may also lend you traps and can supply printed literature for many problems a homeowner is likely to encounter. South Carolina SC State Wildlife Biologists -- may offer advice and programs. Conservation or law enforcement officers (Game Wardens) may issue permits for taking nuisance wildlife. U.S. Department of Agriculture -- Wildlife Services -- a federal agency that deals with nuisance wildlife in both municipal and agriculture settings. Wildlife Services offer two support levels:  Technical Advice -- handouts, videos, verbal support and/or they will sell or loan you a trap, conduct field demonstrations. Operational Support -- they will perform certain Squirrel removal and raccoon removal work for landowners for a fee. A signed contract is required. In South Carolina SC  , contact Wildlife Services NuisanceWildlife Control Operators (NWCO; pronounced "newco"). These individuals own and operate their own raccoon removal wildlife control business and charge for their services removing, via trapping or exclusion, raccoons, skunks, squirrels, snakes, opossums, and most wildlife that is not protected. They are licensed by the state and most are insured and can often be located in the phone book under "Pest Control" or "Animal Removal Services". These South Carolina SC  wildlife operators are different from the common termite control service providers and one should not be confused with the other. These South Carolina SC  wildlife operators are also different from the county "dog catcher" or "Animal Control Officer." Animal control usually will not catch a skunk or snake for a homeowner, but there is a lot of variability here and each county and situation is different. One should not use a pest control (bug guy) business to remove animals, unless that pest control business is licensed for wildlife removal.

You Are the Solution / Do what the wildlife control operator advises

As a homeowner if you do not want to hire someone there are several options available for the do-it-yourselfer. What follows are some simple guidelines to assist the homeowner in solving their nuisance wildlife problem.

Rules of Thumb

Wildlife needs three things -- food, water and shelter. Remove any one of these and the animals will go somewhere else. But remember: Treat the problem not the symptom.

Example No. 1: There is an opossum in the shed eating the dog/cat food.

Wrong Answer -- trap the opossum and relocate it. This will provide a short-term solution but not solve the problem. In a few days, another hungry animal will be back in the shed.

Right Answer -- seal the pet food in a container with a tight fitting lid, seal openings to the shed, and relocate the opossum. This removes the problem (pet food in an open and accessible container) and the symptom (a hungry opossum).

Problem solved.

Example No. 2 -- Moles digging up the yard.

Wrong Answer -- trap the mole. This kills one mole.

Right Answer -- treat yard for grubs, trap the mole, and reduce watering. This will remove the offending animal, the food source that attracted the mole and the conditions that favor the grubs.

Learn the biology of the animal. Moles eat insects and earthworms. Watering may lure the insects and earthworms to near the surface. Moles look there for food.

Animal Signs

When diagnosing animal damage problems, you should look for sign left by the animal. Almost all animals leave signs -- some are more obvious, some are easier to identify, but the sign is usually there somewhere. Droppings are often readily observed, especially for mammals. Fresh droppings are black, shiny and moist. Old droppings are dry, brown or gray. Black and white droppings could be from a bird, snake or lizard. Size is important for identification. Rats, mice, chipmunks and toads leave droppings the size of a rice grain. Rabbit droppings are pea size and usually brown. Deer droppings are large ovals and could be deposited loosely or in a large clump, depending on diet. Even in a clump, individual pellets can be easily recognized.

Another obvious sign of animal damage is digging. Here again there are important clues to the culprit. Diameter of the hole is a clue to the size of animal culprit. If a dirt mound is present, this could be due to a woodchuck, turtle, armadillo or coyote. If a dirt mound is not present, this could indicate a chipmunk, skunk, mole or vole. Tunnels in the dirt but near the surface are likely a mole or vole. Remember, moles eat insects, earthworms or grubs. Voles eat plants and plant parts like bulbs, roots, tubers or bark. Try this simple procedure to distinguish moles from voles.

Apple test -- place a piece of apple in the tunnel under a board; if the apple is eaten, it is a vole; if not, it is a mole.

And finally, armadillos dig an inverted, cone shaped hole, 3-4 inches deep and 1-2 inches in diameter.

Other sign includes gnawing. Look for the size of tooth marks and the size of the stem or root gnawed. This will be a clue to vole, chipmunk, squirrel, beaver or rabbit. Also consider browsing by deer. Deer lack upper incisors. If leaves are pulled and have a ragged end, then deer are likely to blame. However, if leaves are clipped or bitten with clean, sharp ends, then the offender is likely to be a rabbit, squirrel or wood rat. Also, if branches are cut, then consider the squirrel or rabbit as the responsible party. Finally, ask "What was the height where damage occurred?" Deer can easily reach 4½ to 6 feet up the stem while rabbits and woodchucks reach about 1 foot or more. Vole and chipmunk damage is usually close to the ground and could be restricted to roots.

There are others signs of nuisance wildlife as well. One annoying habit of wildlife invaders is noise. Noise inside a wall could be mice. Noise inside the attic or crawl space could be mice, bats, squirrels, raccoons, skunks, opossums or birds. Noise in a chimney often suggests the culprit is a squirrel, raccoon, birds or bats. Attic noise at night could be mice, bats or flying squirrels, while attic noise during the day could be gray squirrels.

Do not overlook some simple clues such as time of day. A nocturnal (active at night) animal like wood rat, raccoon, skunk or opossum causes holes or other dam-age to appear overnight. Holes that appear during the day are caused by diurnal (active during the day) animals such as squirrel, chipmunks or woodchucks. If damage is to a bird feeder due to squirrel activity, try moving the bird feeder away from house, deck rail or tree limbs. You could also mount the feeder on a slick pole or add a predator guard.

Citizen Options for Nuisance Wildlife Issues

Before you panic, spend a lot of money to hire someone or sell your house think of the model we will define as H-E-R-L. Work through this model and you may be able to solve most problems. The letters in the HERL model stand for specific actions you, as the homeowner, can take to deal with many nuisance wildlife situations. The steps in the model are outlined below.

Step 1: H - Habitat Modification

The steps undertaken to make a habitat unattractive are often the opposite of activities a homeowner might undertake to encourage wildlife and create backyard habitat. It is often difficult or impossible to both create habitat for wildlife you want to encourage and, at the same time, remove habitat to discourage wildlife. The animals cannot tell the difference and often you will be left with both attracting wildlife and dealing with nuisance species in the same habitat. By remembering and following these steps, however, you can enhance your enjoyment of wildlife around your home.    Without habitat (such as, cover to hide in or food to eat) the animal will leave.    Remember this simple equation: No cover = no mice = no snakes.

Homeowner remedies

Mow tall grass -- many pest species (such as mice) like weedy, un-mowed areas. They attract predators (such as snakes) to this food source.    Remove piles    Brush piles    Log piles    Firewood piles    Rock piles    Debris and Trash    Bricks - stones - concrete    Buckets and flower pots    Cars - tires - toys    Spray herbicide    Roundup®, Spectracide®, Weed-B-Gone® are some examples. This will remove tall weeds, briars and vines to remove habitat. Homeowners are cautioned to read and carefully follow all label restrictions when working with herbicides. Cut dead trees and limbs Removes roosting and nesting places for bats, flying squirrels and woodpeckers. This will remove food (insects) for woodpeckers. Clean out old birdhouses and discard old nests. Rule-of-Thumb Learn the habits, preferences and requirements of the offending animal(s) and remove or modify the habitat to make your yard unattractive to wildlife pests.

Step 2: E -- Exclusion THE BEST SOLUTION

This option includes using fencing or other solid materials to exclude wildlife by creating a physical barrier.    For large animals (such as wild pigs or dogs) use welded wire or "hog" wire with a 2" x 4" mesh size about 48"-60" tall.     Chain link fence also works but is more expensive.    Wooden fence also works.    Stake or secure the fence firmly to the ground    For deer, fences should be 8 feet tall or more to ensure success, but even this is not guaranteed because deer can crawl under a fence, fences can be damaged by falling limbs, or trees or other factors can allow deer inside.    For small animals such as opossum, woodchuck, raccoon, fox or squirrel use chicken wire, hardware cloth or electric fence.    Chicken wire -- 2 feet tall and buried 6-12 inches for diggers like rabbits, skunks, opossums and armadillos    Hardware cloth -- ¼ to ½ inch mesh, 1-2 feet tall and also buried 6-12 inches will exclude chipmunks, moles, voles and other small animals from gardens and flower beds. This can be combined with decorative fence around flowerbeds and shrubbery.    For certain large animals, like deer, use an electric fence. Many brands are available, including single strand "hot-tape," which consists of vinyl webbing imbedded with fine conducting wires. This is usually hooked to a 12-volt battery or 110-volt household current. Some models use solar power or D cell batteries and are very effective.    Spreading peanut butter on the wire or wires (or on aluminum foil attached to the wires) will encourage the deer (or other animals) to contact the fence and receive a mild shock, which should deter future contact. These fences will deter some animals but do not have enough energy to injure animals or people.

In addition to fencing, other materials are often used to exclude animals from dwellings.    Chimneys -- capped to prevent raccoons, bats, squirrels and birds from entering.    Soffit vents -- keep in good repair; often used as entry point for insects, bats, and birds.    Gable end of house/barn -- block animals by using hardware cloth or screens but maintain airflow to cool attic and buildings. This is often the entry point for flying squirrels, gray squirrels, bats and birds like pigeons, wrens, house sparrows, European starlings and swallows.    Windows and doors -- These are entry points for snakes, bugs, mice and some large animals like raccoons and opossums if the doors on garages or sheds are not closed or properly sealed.    Close doors and windows; repair screens and maintain proper weather seal.    Dryer vent -- entry for snakes and mice.    Cover vent with screen large enough to vent hot dryer air but to exclude animals.

Caution: needs to be cleaned regularly to prevent lint accumulation.    Seal around vent with expanding foam or weather seal.    Pipes and cables -- electric lines, phone line, satellite or cable TV line.    Mice and bats can enter through a dime-sized hole.    Seal with expanding foam or weather seal.

Step 3: R - Removal or Repellents / DO NOT RELY ON REPELLENTS ALONE

Removal -- trap offending animal and relocate to a safe area ½ to 5 miles away. Move larger animals a greater distance. Remember -- you must have permission of the landowner and possibly a permit issued by South Carolina SC  DNR before relocating wildlife. Check with your local conservation officer.