Raccoons are skilled climbers, they can get onto a roof with ease. They are also very dangerous and can kill you without even touching you, but can also kill you by touching you. Raccoons can carry rabies which is a horrific disease that can cause symptoms like lockjaw and can lead to a comma. One of the strangest symptoms is hydrophobia which causes the victim to be terrified of water. Even drinking it which can lead to death by dehydration. If they try drinking water they can choke on it and drown in a glass of water. This is not something anyone wants to see if their child or husband or pet so if you have raccoons on your property you should take action to make sure they are not living in your home, and just passing through. Raccoons are protected by the ministry of the environment. They are also native to Ontario. So killing or harming them is not okay. If a raccoon has gotten into your attic there are simple solutions that you can do at home. Trapping the animal in the attic is dangerous and can result in it starving to death so it is not recommended as it is not humane. The best way to get it out is with a one-way door. It’s a device that allows the raccoon to vacate but then prevents it from returning to whatever structure it was occupying. The animal will vacate on its own with no assistance as it must leave at least once a week or so to hunt for and collect food to bring back into your attic.
This is generally garbage from your garbage cans or pet food if you feed pets outside. They will lick the grill of the barbeque and eat anything and everything dropped by a pet or a child. They are not specifically attracted to birdseed and feeders but they are very interested in leaky hoses and birdbaths as they drink a lot of water. If you ensure that none of these things are available on your property, find a place to feed the dog, don’t let the kids eat outside even though they are messy and take precautions like locking your garbage cans. It’s not only animals that are interested in that. Once you have done that raccoons should have no reason to be on your property. If they are they are likely living in something. It could be your attic, your shed where it will burrow beneath it, a deck or even a second or third-floor porch. Many wooden porches are built with a top layer of slats, several 2x4s and 4x4s and then slats on the bottom. There will also be an opening for drainage. This means a raccoon can enter and live in your 3rd story wooden deck. This may seem terrifying but don’t panic. Call a professional and they will be able to remove it, even from a 3rd story roof or porch and will allow it to vacate humanely along with any babies that may be inside.