The City of Pickering is currently home to hundreds of species of wildlife. As our community continues to grow we encroach on the natural territory of many wild animals. Like many species, wildlife has learned to adapt to the changing environment surrounding them. With that in mind, it is no surprise that many animals are now being found taking residence in our backyards, in and under sheds, porches, garages and/or back decks.

The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) is responsible for addressing wildlife related issues within the Province of Ontario. The MNR has very limited resources and therefore typically only assigns priority to emergency type situations.

In an extra effort to assist Pickering residents, Pickering Animal Services has developed an in-house strategy to address the various management practices when dealing with human-wildlife conflicts in and around the City.

The current strategy deals with responses to the following;

  1. Nuisance wildlife concerns
  2. Sick, injured or orphaned wildlife
  3. Public Health and Rabies

Nuisance Wildlife

If you have a nuisance situation involving a wild animal living in part of your home or on your property, there are solutions that are safe and humane for the animal, and are very effective for you, the homeowner.

Trapping and relocating nuisance wildlife used to be considered the best option for resolving these situations, but we now know that there are many drawbacks to this approach;

  1. The animal does not usually survive the relocation. When introduced to a new and unfamiliar area, a relocated animal has no idea where to find food, water or shelter, and has to contend with other wildlife defending the territory they already occupy.
  2. There is a high risk of causing the orphaning of wild babies. The young of the relocated animal are often left behind, and by the time the babies are found, there is no way to re-unite them with their mother who has been shipped by this time to a faraway location.
  3. It encourages the spread of diseases such as rabies. As a result, it is now illegal to relocate wild animals.

The following fact sheets have been provided by the Ministry of Natural Resources and provide information specific to individual wildlife species:

The following fact sheets have been provided by the Ontario SPCA and may assist you with your human-wildlife issue:

The following links will provide you with information specific to individual wildlife species;

The Canadian Association for Humane Trapping (CAHT) is a charitable, non-profit organization that constructively works towards abolishing the suffering imposed on wild animals by the devices or trapping systems that are used to capture them. The following wildlife fact sheets have been provided by them;

If these methods are not working and you would like the assistance of a trained professional, contact a wildlife removal company such as AAA Gates Wildlife Control for further help. With more than 20 years of experience, AAA is a National wildlife removal company who deal in a humane manner with urban wildlife encounters through education, prevention and hands-on removal. AAA uses humane methods to solve problems, always taking into consideration the possible presence of baby wildlife before deciding on what course of action to take.

  • AAA Wildlife Control 416.750.9453

To assist you in choosing a Wildlife Control Company we have provided you with a fact sheet of what to look for in a reputable company.

 

Sick, Injured or Orphaned Wildlife

When most people find a sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife, their first instinct is to try to help them. In many instances the wild animal has a higher chance of survival if left alone. If you feel that the animal may require medical treatment, please contact a licensed wildlife custodian for further assistance.

The following fact sheets have been provided by the Ontario SPCA and may assist you in determining if a wild animal is in need of help;

 

Public Health and Rabies

Rabies is an infectious disease that is caused by a virus distributed through various mammals, including wild and domestic animals. The Rabies virus is spread from one animal to another, or from an animal to a human, through close contact with saliva of an infected animal i.e. bites, scratches, licks on broken skin.

For information regarding how to report a dog bite to Animal Services and/or the Durham Region Health Department, visit Dog Bites.
The following information on rabies has been provided by the Ministry of Natural Resources;

City of Pickering Website