The Lucknow Sentinel, 1996-03-13, Page 43Nuisance animal control
becoming big business
by Nellie Evans
Nuisance animal control is
becoming :big business as the
raccoon population blossoms
and the threat f rabies becomes
more serious. ,
As the human and :wildlife
population ,are forced tolive
ever closer. together, animal
control services like Critter
.Ridder,._ south of Bayfield, are
finding the need for their ser-
vices on the rise
For fiver years, Critter Ridder
owner TiroMooh has' done.
exactly as his business none
suggests -he removes .raccoons,
skinks,,and squirrels from barns.
and Cottages. , .
A trapper for 13 years and
member of the Huron County
Trappers' Association, Moon
has become skilled at removing
nuisance wildlife quickly and
safely. Scenarios are played out
most often in spring/early sum-
mer and' fall. when raccoons and
skunks. give birth.to a new fami
ly and begin searching for
homes to raise their young or
survive the winter.
Based. on. the shores of Lake
Huron, a typical call to remove
a nest of raccoons begins with a
cottage owner, who's lust
opened his cottage for the sum-
mer. Before removal "(an adult
•
will be removed using a cage
traps the babies by hand), loon
advises the homeowner what
happens to the. animal after-
ward. •
`rapping has become :a con-
troversial issue as time pushes
the fur trading era further into
history. But MOOD said land and
home owners in the area he
serves from Sarnia to Lucknovi
understand how much damage
can occur when a raccoon or..
squirrel chooses their home or.
barn: to inhabit.
"I've- seed thousands of dol -
los in .damage,"' he said. -..
Fainilies' of raccoons can
quickly foul, up a barn because
they will each choose a.different
corner to excrete waste. They.
can also tear open bags of grain
and cause crop. damage.
Raccoons entering a cottage
through an unused chimney can
chew big holes through inside
Walls,if doors are closed, ; and
rip apart furniture, Squirrels can
store food and chew . electrical
wires. ,
Many farmers live with the
animals" in their barns until fall
when Moon usually traps rac-
coons toysell their pelts.
.Moon must also bear inmind
where` he will dispose of the
p'
animal' later, in particular, the
Farm Pri
1fR 'p
FLEMING FEED MILL
sociable raccoon. To trap a rac-
coon in the Zurich area, for
exaxaple, and rebase it in the
Sarnia area means contributing
to n problem with over -popula-
tion, causing, fights with resi-
dent raccoons and placings the
animal in strange surroundings
where it warders aimlessly, per-
haps until death by starvation or
motor vehicle collision. Moon
recommends to "put down" the
animal humanely,
""hebig thing to any animal
is to be' fair and not have any
undue suffering," said. Moon.
And these scenarios haven't
even touched the ever-growing,
threat of rabies. The threat is
greater with a new strain' of rac-
coon rabiesthat's infecting the
New York State population, just
over the border fiom Niagara
Falls,, Canada.
"There's a 'raccoon in every,
barn andthey're very, very.
closely associated with people
in rural areas and cities. So
that's the biggest. thhreat" said
Moon.
Truckers are being warned to
check trailers 'and. flatbed loads
for hitch=hiking raccoons to prey
vent them from entering
Canada. Raccoon rabies has
spread naturally by 40-60 kilo
•turn to, gage 28
60
Clinton, Ont 40g-343
• i
BUILD IT TO LAST WITH MAINTENANCE -FREE
CONCRETE WALLS & FLOORS
SERVING SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO SI
COMPETITIVE PRICES
IEPEAT BUSINESS 44. REFERRALS ISOUR
,,
SEAL OF QUANT
WCONCRETE
FORMING LTD.
CLINTON . CAU, CQLLECT402.9611:
()OK
V
• ravel -Top Soil
'Demolition `
*Fine Gradin
*Specialty
►iE►EL EXTENDED ' CA►D�
rvethemall, lusmoreonti
e z
Wild animal catcher Tim ;Moan of the Zurich. area demonstrates • how a raccoon or
skunk may enter a cage trap and trip, a pan mechanism which closes, the door behind
it. ' oon, the owner of Critter Ridder, has experience catching pesJcy► critters in cot-
WE HAVE A GOOD SELECTION OF USED TRUCKS
'1995 LUMINA VAN 1993 G,
M 9
Air, conditioning, 7 pas- PICKUP
senger AM/FM cassette '4x4, :a<ir. conditioning,
and .More. Only 19000 cruise,:tilt, 'power wi'n-.
Km. Steck #D -513A . dows and tacks. 62000
$ . : km. Stock #6t34A
'104495•
.
RANGER 19rr!L'O
ESN VOYAGER'
4x4, 5•speed; air �c+edi rtom tic, air; tilt:`
boning, tilt, cruise. Stock#$267 ►
Stock'#6-126A
$. 11,495.
994
1994 "TRACKER
9931a"tCIOJ 51# 1' T'
4.3` �V6, 4 speed automat-
iu, air, tilt, cruise, box 4x4 autozn tic, AM/FM.
Tinier. t' nIy�" 66000 km. Low mileage 24(100: kmw`
Stack # 280A Stock #5-2463A
12i
2,495. ' ,4OO.
1994 TRACKER
Automatic, AM/FM, 4x4,
hardtop. Only. 5000 km.
Stock #5,221A
$14,400.
1991 GMC 815
V6, 5 speed, AM/FM.
Stock #4-2'19A
1985 FORD
AEROSTAR
speed automatic; air
conditioning, stereo.
Stock #1-254A
�,'S6,995.�
People
'leasers"
Saturda
CHEVROLET
JOHN GEOCULLEN
OLDSMOBILE
JM onday-011d'ay
44 p.m; Evenings by Appointment
is
fos ephine Street
VI/Ingham.
357,4323
•