If you have managed to trap a raccoon, your next move is how to transport it. Canadian law prohibits transporting protected wildlife for more than a kilometre without a permit. It is also likely that the raccoon will return to your property if released it in the given radius especially if it has young ones. Killing it is illegal and keeping it trapped in a cage, leaving it to starve or exposed to predators is inhumane. Capturing a mother also means the offspring, wherever they are, will die of starvation and dehydration.  

Do-it-yourself guides, though they appear practical, do not appreciate wildlife’s unpredictable nature. Raccoons are after all wild animals and they will attack when they feel threatened. The animal can easily reach through the cage to attack. A scratch or a bite can easily transmit rabies. Assuming you’re able to relocate the animal yourself, the cage may have urine and feces. These cause roundworms and bacterial infections if mishandled.

Other concerns with DIYs are you may purchase the wrong size trap and end up strangling or injuring the animal. Even if you do succeed in catching one, it is likely that another raccoon will make a home in the same spot as the previous one. Relocating a mother raccoon means it’ll navigate back and damage a sealed off area trying to reach its babies.

The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources has studies show that wildlife mortality rates increase if they are removed from surroundings they are familiar with. Letting a trapped raccoon lose in the wild or unfamiliar territory may be a death sentence. It may be unable to adapt especially with regards to finding food sources. Other raccoons in the territory may also chase it away, increasing the likelihood of it becoming roadkill.

Best Way to Relocate Raccoons

Hiring a raccoon removal professional in Toronto is the best way to remove raccoons from your property. The expert will remove all raccoons including babies and animal proof your attic, shed and other hideouts. Clean up and sealing the space is also part of the service they provide. Hire a company that guarantees its work for at least two years.