The raccoons have picked a battle with the wrong person...

[Thamnophis]

When I worked at Animal Control we dealt with many issues like this. The truth is, as someone else pointed out, its usually easier to secure the birds than eliminate predators. For one thing, predators will quickly move in to any area where food and shelter is available. So killing one will encourage another.

We had a guy who spent half his waking hours trying to get rid of squirrels in his yard. As soon as he would do so, another family would replace them. Thankfully he was retired and had very little else to do with his time. When we explained to him the squirrels where there because of his beautiful grove of century old oak trees, he actually considered cutting them all down!

There are many books, many old ones, that explain how to build secure coops. There's even a free one online. This past winter I learned how important a secure coop is as I had raccoons pry loose boards from the side of the building and a mink slip through a hole no bigger than a cue ball.

The exception I'm dealing with now is the free range birds - its almost impossible to build a truly secure enclosure for free ranging birds if you have lots of them. I've resigned myself to building better 4 foot fence and using 2 strands of electric wire - one about 6 inches off the ground and one near the top. I've heard this is effective for all but the occasional coopers hawk or great horned owl. But I can plan to loose a few birds to these beautiful predators every year.

 

[Mervin]

That may very well be one of the most asinine things I've ever heard of. I agree that animals should be humanely dispatched and always do my best to do just that. How humane is the anxiety that poor critter feels while captive? I think I might talk to a local game warden and get their word on it. If you're in a rural area, I can't believe that's how other people are handling these situations. There is such a fear of rabies, most jurisdictions regard raccoons and other common rabies vectors with a shoot first, find out later mentality.

I can see where body-hold devices are illegal and with good reason, I think. I really have a hard time thinking that people aren't doing what needs to be done in defense of themselves and their property through the rural parts of Ontario though. If you mame one with your car, do you have to call the vet to finish it off as well? It's no less dangerous and no less deserving of "humane" treatment right?

Personally, I don't really want to have to dispatch anything. I like to hunt and fish, but I don't like killing just b/c an animal crossed my path and presents a danger to myself or my property. That's why I hope to have my electric fence installed this weekend.

 

[Spires6]

Humanely killing raccoons? I don't like killing animals either but I don't think they were very nice or "humane" to my chickens when they tore them apart. I wouldn't let my son kill a young raccoon that was hanging out by our coop last summer and I seriously regret that now. I can't imagine how getting a lethal injection from a vet would be any less stressful for a wild animal then a quick clean gunshot. Both involve stress and pain on the part of the animal.

 

[Spires6]

Humanely killing raccoons? I don't like killing animals either but I don't think they were very nice or "humane" to my chickens when they tore them apart. I wouldn't let my son kill a young raccoon that was hanging out by our coop last summer and I seriously regret that now. I can't imagine how getting a lethal injection from a vet would be any less stressful for a wild animal then a quick clean gunshot. Both involve stress and pain on the part of the animal.

 

[Dar]

Quote:
My dogs weigh 40LBS.... thats ALL 4 OF MY DOGS...lol

My heaviest dog is about 15lbs and is 1/2 the size of these coons

 

[Dar]

Is it illegal to kill a raccoon?

Is it illegal to kill a raccoon?—Taryn Swift, Moore Park

Species is alive and well (or should we say running rampant) in Toronto, because while smaller, and arguably cuter, furry fauna like mice are considered fair game for catching and killing, larger mammals, like raccoons, are protected.

For most Ontarians, it’s against the law to even own a body-gripping trap that can catch anything bigger than a rat, but the reason has nothing to do with a love of the dreaded garbage looters. It’s actually a nod to public safety. Any device big enough to off a raccoon could also snare the neighbour’s cat (or a small child). The same logic forbids the use of poison or firearms against raccoons. In other words, if you’re hell-bent on fashioning a homemade Davy Crockett coonskin cap, you may end up wearing it on the receiving end of a $5,000 fine.

If you can prove a raccoon is destroying your property, you can live trap the creature and have a vet do your dirty work. There’s just one catch. Because of the many diseases they carry, wild animals are banned from veterinary clinics in Toronto. Good luck finding a vet who makes lethal house calls.

full article here
http://www.torontolife.com/daily/urban-decoder/2008/03/06/urban-decoder-law-15/

 

[Mervin]

Quote:
I'm not sure I'd base my flock's safety on a blog post that, at best, is unclear and without any citations. Yes, I can believe it is illegal to discharge a fire arm or set out poison within the city of Toronto. I can also believe that large, body-gripping traps are illegal throughout Ontario. But what I don't see is any evidence that one must employ a veterinarian to do the "offing". That merely appears to do the poster's suggestion since you can't kill or poison it (within Toronto). Perhaps another reason for that SUGGESTION is that somebody within the city wouldn't be able to properly dispose of the carcass, where as most vets would be able to properly cremate or otherwise dispose of a diseased animal.

I suggest you take that article with a grain of salt. Speak with a LOCAL wildlife official, explain your situation and get their feedback. You might very well find that the only requirement is to report the incident to them. As you said you're in a rural area, you'll will at least get the rural perspective on how to handle the situation.

 

[Dar]

when i called animal control for my county they told me this info was correct.