Does this service trap, remove or relocate wildlife?
No. This site does not trap, remove or relocate coyotes, raccoons, skunks, opossums or any wildlife. A technician only seals and proofs the structure. CDFW does not allow relocating wild animals, and relocating nuisance raccoons and skunks is illegal in California.
CDFW does not pick up wildlife unless it is sick or injured. It issues depredation permits for coyotes, raccoons and skunks only to property owners who have damage or livestock or pet losses and who have already taken exclusion steps. People call CDFW at (916) 358-2917 to ask about a permit.
Sealing is what makes those exclusion steps real. That is why this page exists: it covers the building, and the agencies cover the animals. Our guide on coyotes and raccoons at the canyon edge explains who to call for what.
What can be sealed to keep animals out?
A technician can seal vent openings, gaps along the foundation, crawl space hatches, openings under decks and porches, damaged soffits and fascia, and gaps around pipes and cables. The goal is a building that gives wildlife no easy shelter. Sealing is not done over an opening an animal may be using.
Each opening gets a material suited to the job, usually metal mesh or flashing rather than a soft filler. Vents are screened rather than blocked so the attic and sub-area still breathe.
Where the opening is also a route for rodents, the work overlaps with attic and crawl space rodent exclusion, and the same visit can cover both.
What can I do myself to make a property less attractive?
Remove food, water and shelter. CDFW and LA County Animal Care advise using tight-fitting lids on trash cans, not leaving pet food outside, fixing drips and locking pet doors at night. These steps help even before any sealing, and they cost very little.
Fallen fruit, bird seed, compost and open trash are the usual draws, and dry-season water sources matter too. The Los Angeles dry season runs long, July and August each average under 0.05 inch of rain at the downtown climate station, and the Eastsider has reported coyotes coming down from parched hills for food and water in July.
Keep small pets inside at night, close the dog door and clear brush and wood piles close to the house. If an animal is injured or sick, or you see aggressive behaviour, call the agencies rather than approaching it.
- Use tight-fitting lids on trash and compost
- Bring pet food and water in and lock pet doors at night
- Pick up fallen fruit and trim brush and wood piles away from the building
Which agency handles which problem?
CDFW governs wildlife in California and issues permits in limited cases. LA County Animal Care gives homeowner advice on living with wildlife. A pest-control company handles the structure, and vector control districts treat mosquitoes, not wildlife or rodents. Calling the right agency first saves time.
The Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District treats mosquitoes, midges and black flies, and the San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District does the same for its cities. Neither handles coyotes, raccoons or skunks. Our guide on which vector control district covers you shows what each district does.
Why does exclusion come before any permit request?
CDFW issues depredation permits for coyotes, raccoons and skunks only to property owners who have damage or livestock or pet losses and who have already taken exclusion steps. Sealing and securing the structure is therefore the first step, and a documented one can matter when you contact CDFW.
Keep a record of what was sealed, when, and any damage or losses you have had. A written list of openings closed by a technician is useful evidence of the steps you took. Whether CDFW grants a permit is its decision, not the pest company's.
This site cannot apply for, arrange or promise a permit. It can only close the openings on the structure and give you the record.
