It’s one thing to see a wild animal at the zoo, or from a safe distance on a hike. It’s another thing when that animal is in your backyard and could be a threat to you and your family.
Once you get over the initial shock of seeing the animal, your next thought is “what do I do?”, so you grabbed your phone and googled “animal control service”, and it brought you here. Good! We’ve put together a guide for you that can take you from freakout to problem fixed with just a few phone calls.
Get the answers you need, below!
1. Make Sure They’re Humane
Since you’re reading this blog, we know you care about the lives of all living things. ‘=Except for maybe spiders inside the house – but that’s another article. And since you care about animals’ lives, you want to make sure you hire an animal control service that’s humane.
That means they won’t only catch the animal in a human way, but they’ll make sure it goes to a healthy new home – not dump it on the side of the road or “put it down”.
How to Find Out if a Company is Humane
Like most things in the modern world, you can tell a lot about a company by the reviews they get online. All companies have some amazing and some horrible reviews – so focus on the ones in the middle, that’s where the truth is.
Look at what the reviews say about how they caught the animal and if they mention the company works for any local animal rescues. Read the reviews and notice how people talk about the employees. Did they seem kind? Do they care about animals?
Most animal control services are made up of people that care about animals, but there still are the “bad guy dog catcher” versions you see in movies out there, so doing your research can’t hurt!
2. Call Local Animal Rescues
So, you have a specific animal you need removed from your property. Let’s say it’s an iguana. You could look up local reptile rescues near you and call them, asking them how to get rid of iguanas They will either tell you a safe way to do it yourself and ask you to bring it to their facility, send a volunteer (for free!), or recommend a humane removal company that they work with.
Either way, you’re getting a solution from one phone call – and you’ll probably get some tips on how to prevent those little critters from making a house out of your home, to boot!
3. Don’t DIY
Unless you’ve called an animal rescue and they’ve told you a safe way to DIY (and actually recommended you do it), then assume removing the animal yourself is unsafe. Animals are beautiful and cool, but they’re also dangerous. Never approach an animal on your property or try to scare it away, even if it looks docile.
It’s better to be safe than sorry!
4. Make Sure They’re Insured and Licensed
Like any contractor you employ, you want to make sure they have the proper accreditations and licenses. For animal control companies, they’ll need to have general employee insurance that covers on-the-job injuries, as well as a permit from the state. Their website should have this information listed on their “about” page, but don’t be afraid to ask them in person.
Please see above about being safe/sorry.
Choosing the Right Animal Control Service
As long as you do your research and get references from online reviews or local animal rescues, the animal control service you choose should be fine. Don’t be afraid to call the company and get a feel for them or ask questions if you’re still on the fence.
At the end of the day, this is still a service you’re paying them to perform – no matter how scary the animal is.
