Top Wildlife Removal in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin Ranked

Living alongside nature is part of Wauwatosa's charm, but when wild animals move into your attic, under your deck, or threaten your property, they become a nuisance that requires safe and effective management. Wildlife removal is the specialized process of humanely and permanently addressing conflicts with animals like raccoons, squirrels, and bats. This service is crucial for protecting your home from damage, preventing health hazards, and ensuring the safety of both people and pets. The following guide will help you understand your options, from preventive steps you can take yourself to when it's time to call a licensed professional for expert animal control and exclusion.

Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control

milwaukee

Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control provides humane wildlife removal and exclusion services in Milwaukee, WI. They address urban wildlife challenges involving raccoons, squirrels, skunks, bats, rodents, and birds, using ethical methods that safely relocate animals to natural habitats. Their expertise includes thorough property assessments to identify entry points and prevent future intrusions, ensuring long-term solutions tailored to local wildlife behavior. Skedaddle emphasizes environmentally conscious practices that support the local ecosystem while maintaining the safety and integrity of homes and businesses. They also serve surrounding Wisconsin communities such as Lake County, Madison, and Waukesha.

4.9

172 Reviews

Critter Control Milwaukee

milwaukee

Critter Control Milwaukee provides wildlife removal and pest control services in Milwaukee, WI. They handle a variety of nuisance animals including raccoons, rodents, squirrels, bats, opossums, skunks, and birds. Their process includes inspection, humane trapping and removal, exclusion to prevent re-entry, and repair of any damage caused by wildlife. The company offers specialized services such as bat exclusion with bat valves and rodent control with sealing of entry points. They serve both residential and commercial properties, addressing issues from attics to crawl spaces and outdoor areas.

4.8

229 Reviews

Pest Badger Waukesha

milwaukee

Pest Badger Waukesha offers comprehensive pest control services in Milwaukee, WI, addressing issues with bed bugs, ants, rodents, mosquitoes, and wildlife. Their process includes thorough inspections, eco-friendly treatments, and prevention measures to help keep homes pest-free. The company also provides lawn care services such as fertilization and weed control. Pest Badger uses products that are safe for children, pets, and beneficial wildlife while effectively targeting pests.

4.9

43 Reviews

Bat Specialist of Wisconsin

milwaukee

Bat Specialist of Wisconsin provides bat removal and control services in Milwaukee, WI. The company focuses on humane and environmentally responsible methods to safely remove bats from buildings and prevent future infestations. Their approach avoids pesticides, traps, and netting, ensuring bats are safely reintroduced to their natural habitats.

5.0

17 Reviews

Orkin

16335 W Lincoln Ave, New Berlin, WI 53151

Orkin provides comprehensive pest control services in Milwaukee, WI, specializing in residential and commercial pest management. Their expertise includes bed bug treatment, termite inspections and control, rodent and ant extermination, mosquito control, bee and wasp removal, and wildlife management. Orkin uses science-backed methods and advanced technology to address pest problems effectively, including Sentricon® bait systems for termite control. With over 120 years of experience in the pest control industry, Orkin offers 24/7 availability to respond to urgent pest issues and supports year-round pest management tailored to seasonal pest activity in the region.

4.5

1.7k Reviews

See more providers in Wauwatosa, WI

Common Nuisance Wildlife in Wauwatosa

Wauwatosa's blend of suburban neighborhoods, parks, and waterways creates ideal habitats for a variety of wildlife. While many species are a normal part of the local ecosystem, they can become problematic when they seek food and shelter in human dwellings. The most frequently encountered nuisance animals in the area include mammals such as raccoons, squirrels (both gray and fox), opossums, skunks, bats, coyotes, and rodents like rats and mice ¹. Bird species like pigeons, starlings, and Canada geese can also create significant messes and damage under certain conditions ^{2 3}.

Understanding which animal you're dealing with is the first step toward a solution, as removal methods, legal protections, and potential risks (like rabies) vary by species.

Your Options: DIY Prevention and Removal

Wisconsin law provides property owners with several tools to address wildlife problems on their own land, often without needing a special license. The city and state emphasize coexistence and prevention as the first line of defense ^{4 5}.

Effective Prevention Strategies

The goal is to make your property less attractive to wildlife by eliminating what they seek: food and shelter.

• Secure Food Sources: Use garbage cans with tight-fitting, locking lids. Do not leave pet food outdoors overnight. Consider using bird feeders that are less likely to spill seed, which attracts rodents and other mammals.
• Remove Shelter: Clear away brush piles, woodpiles, and dense vegetation close to your home. Seal potential entry points into your house, such as gaps in soffits, loose roof vents, or holes in the foundation. Installing fencing can deter larger animals like rabbits and woodchucks from gardens.

Legal DIY Removal for Property Owners

If prevention isn't enough and an animal is causing damage, state guidelines allow landowners to take action on their own property ^{6 7}:

• Unprotected Species: You may shoot or trap animals like opossums, skunks, and weasels without a hunting or trapping license.
• Specific Protected Species: Landowners can also hunt or trap coyotes, beavers, foxes, raccoons, woodchucks, rabbits, and squirrels on their land year-round without a license, though you must always comply with local Wauwatosa ordinances regarding the discharge of firearms ^{8 9}.
• Relocation: Animals that are live-captured (except for strictly protected species like bears or wolves) may be relocated to private land with the express permission of that landowner. Relocating wildlife onto state-controlled public lands is generally prohibited ^{10 11}.
• Bird Nests: Nests of unprotected birds (e.g., starlings, house sparrows, pigeons) can be removed at any time. Nests of protected native birds can only be removed if they contain no eggs or young ^{12 13}.

When to Hire a Professional Wildlife Control Operator

While DIY methods can work for some situations, there are times when calling a licensed Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator (NWCO) is the safest, most effective, and most permanent choice. These professionals have the training, specialized equipment, and legal authorizations to handle complex or hazardous situations.

Situations Requiring Professional Help

• Animals Inside the Home: If a raccoon, squirrel family, or bats have taken up residence in your attic, walls, or chimney, removal and exclusion become complex. Professionals can safely remove the animals and, critically, seal entry points to prevent re-entry.
• Risk of Disease or Injury: Animals like skunks, raccoons, and bats are common rabies vector species. A professional minimizes your direct exposure. Similarly, removing a large animal or one that is cornered can be dangerous.
• Protected or Difficult Species: Bats are protected in Wisconsin, and their removal is subject to specific regulations, especially during maternity season. Professionals know these laws.
• Persistent Problems: If you've tried DIY methods and the animals keep returning, a professional can diagnose why and implement a comprehensive solution.
• Cleanup and Restoration: After animals are removed, hazardous waste like droppings (guano) or nesting materials often needs to be professionally cleaned and sanitized. Professionals offer these remediation services.

What to Expect from Professional Services

A reputable NWCO will typically provide an inspection, discuss the problem, and offer a detailed plan that often includes:

1. Humane Trapping and Removal: Using species-appropriate methods.
2. Exclusion Work: Permanently sealing all potential entry points with durable materials. This is the key to a long-term solution.
3. Cleanup and Decontamination: Removing contaminated insulation, droppings, and urine, then sanitizing the area.
4. Restoration: Repairing damaged ductwork, insulation, or wiring, and possibly reinstalling new insulation.

Understanding Costs for Professional Wildlife Control

It's important to know that professional wildlife removal in Wauwatosa rarely has a fixed, upfront price ¹⁴. Each case is unique, and costs depend on multiple variables:

• The Species Involved: Removing a colony of bats is a different project than trapping a single raccoon.
• Location and Accessibility: An animal in an easy-to-reach crawlspace is less costly to remove than one trapped inside a wall void.
• Extent of Infestation: The number of animals present.
• Scope of Damage and Repairs Needed: The cost can increase significantly if there is extensive damage to insulation, wiring, or structural elements that requires repair.

The investment reflects the specialized licensing, insurance, labor, and materials required for a permanent fix. While there is a fee for professional service, the Wauwatosa Health Department provides free information on non-lethal abatement methods and can offer referrals to private companies ^{1 15}.

Who to Contact for Specific Situations

Knowing which agency or service to call can save time and ensure the right help arrives.

• Immediate Threat to Life: For a wild animal posing an immediate danger to human life (e.g., an aggressive coyote, a protected timber rattlesnake in a populated area), call 911.
• Nuisance Wildlife in Your Home: For raccoons in the attic, skunks under the porch, or bats in the belfry, contact a private, licensed Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator (NWCO) or pest control company ^{1 16}. The Wauwatosa Health Department does not provide trapping services ¹⁷.
• Sick, Injured, or Dead Wildlife: Report sightings to the Wisconsin DNR Wildlife Hotline at 608-267-0866 or email DNRWildlifeSwitchboard@wisconsin.gov ¹⁸.
• Aggressive Coyote Incidents: The city has a response plan for coyotes that attack pets or act threateningly. Report such incidents to engage a city-contracted professional ¹⁹.
• Animal Bites / Rabies Exposure: For a bite from any wild animal, contact the Wauwatosa Health Department at (414) 479-8936 immediately ¹⁷.
• Loose Domestic Animals: For issues with stray dogs or cats, contact the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission (MADACC) ²⁰.
• Dead Animal Collection: The Wauwatosa Department of Public Works will collect dead animals from the public right-of-way (streets, alleys). For animals on private property, residents should contact a private removal service ²⁰.

Legal and Ethical Considerations

Successfully managing wildlife in Wauwatosa means working within a framework of state and local laws designed to balance property rights with conservation.

• Licensing: Professionals operating on behalf of others must be licensed by the Wisconsin DNR as Nuisance Wildlife Control Operators. Always verify this license when hiring.
• Relocation Laws: As noted, relocating wildlife is restricted. Dumping an animal in a park or other public land is illegal and often inhumane, as relocated animals struggle to survive in unfamiliar territory ^{10 21}.
• Protected Species: Special rules apply to bats, endangered species, and birds native to North America (most are protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act). A professional will ensure compliance.
• Humane Standards: Both DIY and professional methods should prioritize humane treatment. This includes using appropriate trap types, checking traps frequently, and avoiding methods that cause prolonged suffering.

By combining proactive prevention, a clear understanding of your legal options, and the judicious use of professional services when needed, you can effectively resolve wildlife conflicts and protect your Wauwatosa home.

Frequently asked questions

Sources