Food Attractant
Homeowners can resolve most nuisance wildlife issues by identifying what might be attracting them. Placing birdseed, suet cakes, peanuts, and field corn in your yard to attract songbirds and squirrels can also draw in foxes, raccoons, opossums, mice, rats, and even snakes. To discourage unwanted wildlife, remove all food sources from your property for a period of time. Avoid feeding your pets outdoors, and ensure that your trash and recycling containers are properly enclosed and tamper-proof. Also, remember to clean the drip pan on your grill frequently.

Repellents and Trapping
You can also use a high-quality commercial animal repellent to deter wildlife. If you continue to have uninvited furry guests in your yard after removing all attractants and using repellents, consider purchasing a humane animal trap from a local hardware store. Note that a trapping permit from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, issued through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is required for all wildlife (except groundhogs). You can contact the U.S. Department of Agriculture at 877-463-6497, where qualified wildlife biologists can assist you with any wildlife questions.

Our Animal Services Division does not provide outdoor nuisance wildlife trapping or pick-up services to residents, nor do we capture healthy wild animals in your yard for relocation. You do not need the City's permission to set a humane animal trap on your property.

Relocation of Trapped Animals
Once you have obtained your trapping permit, you may begin trapping. If your intention is to capture a skunk, fox, or raccoon, Maryland State law requires that the animal be euthanized or released on site. Skunks, foxes, and raccoons are considered rabies vectors in Maryland and may not be transported to another location and released, with an exception for orphaned, healthy, dependent young which may be transported to a person licensed to rehabilitate rabies vector species. Other trapped mammals, including groundhogs, opossums, squirrels, and chipmunks, may be transported and released with written permission from the property owner or managing authority on a wildlife management area or another area within Montgomery County or an adjacent county. All non-targeted species must be released on site. If you choose to hire a professional trapping service to remove the animal from your property, you may select a Licensed Wildlife Damage Control Cooperator.

Never place your trash outside in just a garbage bag, as this can attract various types of wildlife to your yard, including skunks, foxes, raccoons, opossums, rats, and even crows. Ensure that your trash can has a tight-fitting lid with clamps or a screw-on top to keep it secure, even if it gets knocked over. You can also use bungee cords, rope tie-downs, or weights to further secure the lid. Be sure to thoroughly rinse any cans and bottles that you plan to recycle. Consider obtaining a 65-gallon wheeled recycling cart with a lid, or request a lid for your existing 18-gallon bin.

It's best to store garbage and recycling in your garage or shed and wait until the morning of pick-up to place the cans and bins at the curb. Installing motion-detection lighting around your trash can area can also help deter wildlife from scavenging at night.

Adult raccoons, opossums, and skunks are mostly nocturnal animals. However, in the past decade, foxes have been spotted roaming neighborhoods at all times of the day. Sometimes, nocturnal wildlife may forage during daylight hours, especially when it's overcast. In the spring and summer, wildlife parents often need extra time to search for food to feed their young, which can lead them to move around during the day. Additionally, in late summer and early fall, young animals that have recently left their parents (often referred to as "teenagers") may be out scavenging for food or exploring their surroundings.

If you see nocturnal wildlife out during the day and it appears to be moving normally, it is most likely healthy. However, if an animal is exhibiting abnormal behaviors such as aggression, staggering, or disorientation, please call Animal Services immediately so we can investigate and determine if it needs to be captured. It's important to note that foxes and raccoons can contract distemper, a virus with symptoms similar to rabies, or they may be acting abnormally due to an injury.

If you are unsure about an animal’s health status, please contact Animal Services staff immediately for assistance.

Rabies is an infectious disease that affects the central nervous system of mammals. The virus is primarily spread through the saliva of an infected animal via a bite. Any warm-blooded mammal can contract the virus. In the City, an average of 3 to 5 wild animals test positive for rabies each year. In Montgomery County, raccoons, bats, and foxes are the primary carriers of the virus. Rabid animals may show signs of aggression, stagger, or act disoriented. Most human exposures to rabies occur when people attempt to rescue sick or injured wild animals. Another common indirect exposure happens when people handle their pets without gloves after the pet has had contact with a wild animal. Rabies virus in saliva on the pet's fur can be transmitted through a break in the person's skin for up to two hours after the saliva has been deposited.

To protect your family and pets from rabies, please take the following precautions:

• Report any sick or injured wildlife immediately to Animal Services.
• Do not attempt to capture the animal yourself, but keep an eye on its location from a safe distance.
• Teach your children not to approach or touch wildlife, including feral cats.
• Keep your pets current on their rabies vaccinations.
• Ensure that bats cannot enter your home.

For more information on rabies, please visit www.cdc.gov/rabies.

Groundhogs, also known as woodchucks, are primarily active during daylight hours and are strictly plant eaters. They typically enter hibernation from November through February. Groundhogs are not shy about establishing their burrows close to your home or vegetable garden.

Repellent
There are many commercial repellents available that, when used in combination with loosely covering up the burrow, can be effective in deterring groundhogs. You might also want to explore the internet for natural remedy suggestions.

Trapping Groundhog
You may use a humane wildlife trap to capture a groundhog on your property without obtaining a permit from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Groundhogs are the only wild animals that can be trapped in Maryland without a permit. If another animal accidentally wanders into the trap, you must release it on site. If you capture a groundhog, you may transport and release it with written permission from the property owner or managing authority on a wildlife management area or another area within Montgomery County or an adjacent county. If you choose to hire a professional trapping service, you may select a Licensed Wildlife Damage Control Cooperator.

Groundhogs should not be trapped until mid-summer, after the females have weaned their young. Trapping should end before October 1 to respect their hibernation phase. Groundhogs have a highly developed sense of smell and can locate old, abandoned dens, reopening a covered burrow for their own use in a matter of minutes. Do not be surprised if you deter one groundhog from your property only to find a different groundhog living in the old burrow the following month.

For more information on groundhogs visit: www.humanesociety.org/resources/what-do-about-groundhogs.

Animal Services will pick up dead wildlife that is opossum size and larger from private properties and City streets. Animal Services will not pick up owned deceased pets. If your pet has passed away, you should contact your Veterinarian or the Montgomery County - Office of Animal Services during normal business hours at 240-773-5900 for information on carcass disposal.

If you need to make a report of a deceased animal on private property, please contact Montgomery County 311 at https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mc311/ to report a dead animal. Please include as many details as possible on the location of the animal and your contact information to assist Animal Services Officers in locating the remains. Deceased animals are only picked up during normal business hours for Animal Services Officers. If the carcass is an obstruction in a roadway, you may call the Montgomery County Police Emergency Communications Center at 301-279-8000.

Animal Services staff will not remove a snake from outside of your living space. The most common snakes encountered in the City are the Garter Snake, the Black Racer, and occasionally the Eastern Water Snake. These snakes are non-venomous and help reduce the rodent population.

Depending on the type and size of the snake, their food source is usually insects or small rodents. If you have a problem with mice or rats, you may also have an issue with snakes. To make your home less appealing to rodents, close open trash bins, clean up debris piles in your yard, and seal any holes in the exterior of your home. Snakes will follow prey into your home, so if a mouse or rat can enter through an exterior opening, a snake can too. Additionally, since chipmunks can be potential food for snakes, you may want to remove your bird feeders, at least until the problem is under control. Eliminating the rodent food source will decrease the likelihood of a snake settling in. Some snakes will climb trees and eat bird eggs, which is another reason to consider removing your bird feeders temporarily. Keep the grass in your yard short and mow it frequently. Snakes like to hide in tall grass, so maintaining a neatly trimmed yard will reduce the temptation for them to enter.

Here are some helpful links for snake identification:

• Field Guide to Maryland’s Snakes
• Virginia Herpetological Society

Inspect your home closely in early spring and fall for any damage or openings where wildlife might enter. Wildlife can cause serious damage to your attic, walls, roof, insulation, wiring, fascia, crawlspace, vents, and soffits.

If you have wildlife inside of your home you may hire a Maryland Department of Natural Resources licensed Wildlife Damage Control Operator to remove the animal. The following link provides information on Nuisance Wildlife and the list of Licensed Operators.

Animal Services will respond to calls for rabies vector species and snakes in the living space of your home. Except for cases of direct contact with rabies vector species, we are unable to relocate these animals off your property.

 
If the animal is not inside the immediate living space of your home, you must hire a licensed Wildlife Damage Control Cooperator to remove the animal. Follow this link for a list of Qualified Nuisance Wildlife Control Operators.

Bats are a major predator of pesky night-flying insects worldwide; however, having bats inside your living space is not advisable. Bats, like all other mammals, can carry the rabies virus. To prevent bats and other wildlife from entering your home, ensure that all window screens are intact and properly fitted. Make sure your chimney has a secure cap that is in good condition, and carefully inspect your home for any holes that could allow bats entry. Any opening large enough for your little finger to fit through is big enough for a bat to squeeze through, so these should be sealed with caulk immediately. Never leave doors or windows open without screens, especially after dusk.

If you find a bat in your home, please contact Animal Services staff immediately so we can determine if it needs to be tested for rabies. We do not recommend capturing the bat yourself; however, it is a good idea to close the door to the room where the bat was last seen. If you are bitten by a bat or think you may have been exposed to one, please call your physician’s office immediately. You can also contact the Montgomery County Health & Human Services Department at 240-777-1755 for medical guidance.

If your pet has had contact with a bat inside your home, please call Animal Services staff immediately to have the bat captured and tested for rabies. You will also need to contact your veterinarian to determine if your pet requires a rabies booster.

If you need to file a complaint, please follow the instructions below:

1. For nuisance complaints such as barking dogs, defecation, or dogs off-leash, call 301-279-8000 and press 2, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 7:45 p.m.

   For emergencies, such as sick or injured animals, animal bites, or animal cruelty, call 301-279-8000 and press 2, 24 hours a day.

2. When calling, provide the following information to the call-taker:

   • Your contact information
   • The address of the pet owner you are complaining about
   • A description of the animal(s) involved
   • The time and date of the violation
      

3. An Animal Services Officer will contact you to discuss the follow-up process.