NEWS

Wildlife Could Seek Shelter in Your Home This Winter
The Humane Society of the United States cautions homeowners:
critter-proofing now will prevent conflicts later

November 2, 2006

WASHINGTON – As temperatures drop, The Humane Society of the United States urges homeowners to take time now to prevent conflicts with wildlife this winter. These simple tips will help people avoid unwanted visitors like raccoons, skunks, and squirrels who may seek warmth and shelter in chimneys, attics, garages or sheds during the cold weather.

According to Laura Simon, field director of urban wildlife for The HSUS, “We get more phone calls from panicked people in the wintertime about critters huddling in their attics and chimneys, than about anything else that time of year. People do not usually do a thorough pre-winter inspection of their home and they don’t even think about it until AFTER a raccoon or squirrel has already made a warm shelter for themselves in your attic or chimney.”

“It’s vital to make sure, however, that there are no animals already in the attic -- or other parts of the house -- BEFORE you close up holes,” she cautions. “People often seal holes and then find, to their dismay, they have sealed an animal inside. Simple preventative steps can be taken, and early November is optimal for people to do a check inside and outside the home for wildlife.”

Keep wildlife from making your home, their home:

Attics
Inspect attics with a flashlight for any signs of animals. If any hole is found, always assume an animal is present and NEVER seal up holes until you have done a thorough inspection and are 100 percent sure that all animals are gone. To inspect, turn off lights and look for any outside light leaking in, which will show potential holes that could be entry points. You can test if a hole is being used by most animals two ways: put white flour in front of any holes and check for footprints, or stuff the hole loosely with a paper towel and see if it gets pushed in or out. If after three days the paper stays in place, or you have no flour footprints, you can close them up. Use caulk for small holes, staple hardware cloth over larger holes or make a permanent repairs.
Take caution though, when it comes to bats. Bats won’t leave tracks or push through paper, and they are very difficult to see. So they require a different type of inspection. Look carefully on the attic floor and on insulation for rat-like pellets which are a bit shiny and friable. Also check the entire attic ceiling and rafters for the bats themselves. Bat entry holes tend to be greasy.

Chimneys
Check the chimney from the roof (or have a chimney sweep do so) to make sure there are no animals present - -- then install a chimney cap. This is the easiest and most effective way to keep wildlife out.

Roof/siding
Look for loose vent screens, warped siding, or roof holes and make permanent repairs once you have completed the attic alert.

Pipes
Look inside your home behind appliances (washer, dryer, fridge, etc) and anywhere else pipes enter. Spaces around pipes are common entry points for small animals, such as mice. Fill holes around pipes with copper wire mesh and use expanding foam on cracks and along leaky windows and doors. (Bonus: This will also save you money on your next heating bill!).

Other tips
Trash: Always secure trash containers with bungee cords, ropes, or weights, or put trash out the morning of collection, not the night before.
Trees and leaves: Keep branches trimmed 6 feet away from your house to limit access for roof climbing wildlife, and clean debris – especially leaf piles – around the house foundation.
Compost: Cover and secure compost piles. Never compost meat scraps.
If after this inspection, animals are still finding their way inside your home, visit www.wildneighbors.org for additional tips and for information on humane methods to encourage animals to leave. The HSUS Wild Neighbors Program promotes non-lethal means for resolving conflicts between people and wildlife and cultivates understanding and appreciation for wild animals commonly found in cities and towns.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization with nearly 10 million members and constituents. The HSUS is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals, disaster preparedness and response, wildlife and habitat protection, marine mammals, animals in research, equine protection and farm animal welfare. The HSUS protects all animals through education, investigation, litigation, legislation, advocacy and field work. The nonprofit organization is based in Washington and has field representatives and offices across the country. On the web at www.hsus.org.

The Humane Society of the United States
2100 L St., NW
Washington, DC 20037
www.hsus.org
Promoting the Protection of All Animals