Overview: Wildlife Removal
Raccoons in the attic, squirrels in the soffit, skunks under the deck and bats in the roof are building problems before they're animal problems. The job needs someone who climbs a ladder, finds how the animal got in and closes the gap for good with metal. A trap in the yard doesn't do that.
Provincial law shapes the work. In Ontario, you can hire a wildlife removal business to capture an animal that's damaging your home, but that kind of agent can't kill it. An animal caught live has to be released close to where it was caught, so hauling a raccoon out to the country breaks the rules there. You don't need a licence to be a wildlife control agent in Ontario, which makes insurance and references worth asking about.
Bats are a separate case. Ontario lists several bat species as endangered, and the little brown bat often raises its young in attics. Removal is timed around that season and done with one-way devices. Droppings, a raccoon latrine or soaked insulation come out afterward, and that cleanup deserves its own line on the quote.
Our listings show what each wildlife business states on its own website. Use the province and city lists to find wildlife crews working near you, then ask each one how it plans to get the animals out.
Wildlife removal costs in Canada
Removal, entry-point sealing and contaminated-material cleanup are different jobs. Compare a written plan for the animal and entry points involved.
| Service | Planning budget | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Paid wildlife inspection | C$75–C$100per property visit | A non-intrusive visit to identify the animal, visible entry points and the proposed removal work.Some initial quote visits are free. Ask whether a paid inspection is credited and whether entering the attic costs extra.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Visual inspection; Proposed work scope Budget separately or confirm: Removal and sealing work; Intrusive investigation or difficult attic access |
| Raccoon or squirrel exclusion | C$300–C$600per entry-point job | One identified active entry point with a specified exclusion and follow-up plan.Young animals, extra entry points and whole-roof proofing change the price.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Exclusion setup; Listed follow-up visits Budget separately or confirm: Whole-roof proofing; Attic cleanup |
| Skunk exclusion beneath a deck or shed | C$300–C$600per location | One accessible den beneath a deck or shed, with the included closure and follow-up work specified.Ask for the length and depth of any buried screening. A removal-only quote and a fully screened perimeter are different scopes.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Agreed exclusion method; Listed closure and follow-up work Budget separately or confirm: Major excavation; Unspecified full-perimeter barriers |
| Bat exclusion and entry-point sealing | Scope-based quoteper assessed property | An agreed plan to let bats leave and seal the identified building entry points.Price the complete entry-point sealing plan, not only a one-way valve. Confirm permissible timing and the return visit before authorizing work. The quote needs the roof height, number of gaps and a suitable exclusion date. Request one total for exit devices, final sealing and follow-up.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Specified exit devices and sealing; Listed follow-up visits Budget separately or confirm: Guano cleanup and insulation replacement; Unrelated roof repairs |
| Contaminated attic cleanup | Scope-based quoteper assessed cleanup project | Professional removal and treatment of the identified contaminated material after wildlife exclusion.Define the affected area, disposal and replacement materials. Localized droppings removal and a complete attic restoration are different scopes. The total depends on the contaminated area, access and materials that must be removed. Ask for removal, disposal, treatment and replacement insulation as separate lines.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Agreed contaminated-material removal; Listed cleanup and disposal Budget separately or confirm: Animal exclusion; Replacement insulation and repairs unless itemized |
What changes the price
- Species, nesting circumstances and number of access points
- Roof height and ability to reach the den
- Contamination, insulation removal and scope of permanent proofing
Ask before accepting a quote
- Which entry points will be sealed, and are the return visit and any young-animal handling included?
- For skunks, what length and depth of buried screening does the total cover?
- If the attic is contaminated, which removal, disposal and replacement materials are included in the cleanup quote?
Compare the completed exclusion
- Removal, permanent sealing and contaminated-material cleanup are separate scopes; ask which ones the quoted total includes.
- Check what the exclusion warranty covers if an animal uses a different opening later.
Canadian context
Ask the contractor to explain how local wildlife rules and seasonal nesting conditions affect the proposed method and timing.
Planning amounts in Canadian dollars. Published tax treatment varies; confirm applicable taxes and the final total in your written quote. Rows can be different services, alternative packages or separately priced extras. Add only work that is needed and not already included in your quote.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do if a bat touched someone?
Call your local public health unit. The Canadian Immunization Guide treats direct contact with a bat as a reason to assess rabies risk, because bat bites may not be felt and may leave no visible mark. For a child, a bat landing on clothing counts. Don't handle the bat with bare hands. Once the scare is over, have the house checked for the gap it used.
What does humane removal actually involve?
A one-way door over the entry. The animal goes out to feed and can't get back in, so nobody has to handle it. The door stays up for a few nights, then the gap gets sealed with metal. Any young must be out first. In Ontario, destroying the den of a furbearing mammal needs ministry approval, though fox and skunk dens are exempt.
What if there are babies inside?
Then the job waits or changes. Spring and early summer are when mothers raise litters in attics and under decks, and sealing the hole then traps young that can't leave. Crews lift the young out by hand and set them where the mother can collect them. If she doesn't return, Ontario's rules send orphaned wildlife to an authorized rehabilitator, not to a new home in the woods.
Are bats treated differently from other animals?
Yes. Several bats are endangered in Ontario, including the little brown myotis, northern myotis and tri-coloured bat, and provincial law protects their roosts as well as the bats. The little brown bat is the one most likely to form summer colonies in buildings. Exclusion with one-way devices is the accepted method, and a careful crew waits until the pups can fly. Ask which species is there before work starts.
Is the animal moved somewhere else?
Not far, in Ontario. The province lets you or your agent release a live-caught animal only close to where it was caught, partly to limit the spread of disease. So a raccoon trapped on your roof stays in your neighbourhood. Exclusion avoids the question, and a sealed roof is what actually keeps it out.
Can I cap a chimney that birds are nesting in?
Not if they're chimney swifts. These small birds nest inside brick, stone and concrete chimneys, and the federal Species at Risk Act and Migratory Birds Convention Act protect them and their nests. Capping or lining a chimney they use needs authorization, and so does sweeping it while they're around. Federal guidance for property owners points sweeping and outside repairs to the fall and winter months, once the swifts have gone.
