ZeroBite
Wildlife Conflicts Are Increasing Across Ontario
As urban and suburban development expands across Ontario, encounters between homeowners and wildlife are becoming more frequent. Raccoons, squirrels, skunks, opossums, and groundhogs have adapted remarkably well to living alongside humans, often finding shelter and food sources in and around residential properties. Attics, soffits, chimneys, decks, and sheds provide warm, protected spaces for nesting — especially during spring birthing season.
While wildlife may seem harmless, animals living inside your home can cause thousands of dollars in property damage. Raccoons tear apart insulation, contaminate attic spaces with faeces and urine, and damage wiring and ductwork. Squirrels gnaw through wood, shingles, and electrical wires, creating fire hazards. Skunks burrow under decks and porches, weakening foundations and spraying a defensive musk that can permeate an entire home.
Health and Safety Risks
Wildlife in your home presents genuine health risks. Raccoon faeces can contain Baylisascaris procyonis (raccoon roundworm), a parasitic infection that is dangerous to humans, particularly children. Raccoons are also one of the primary carriers of rabies in Ontario. Squirrel and bat droppings can harbour Histoplasma capsulatum, a fungus that causes a respiratory infection called histoplasmosis when airborne spores are inhaled.
Wildlife can also introduce secondary pests into your home. Raccoons and squirrels often carry fleas, ticks, and mites that can infest your living space after the animals are removed. A comprehensive wildlife removal includes addressing these secondary pest concerns.
Humane One-Way Door System
Ontario law strictly regulates how wildlife can be handled. Under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, most wildlife species cannot be relocated more than one kilometre from where they are found, and harming or killing protected species carries heavy fines. ZeroBite operates in full compliance with Ontario regulations, using humane one-way door systems as our primary removal method.
A one-way door is installed over the animal's primary entry point, allowing it to exit the structure naturally but preventing re-entry. All other potential entry points are sealed with heavy-gauge galvanized steel mesh before the one-way door is installed, ensuring animals cannot find an alternative way back in. After a monitoring period confirms all animals have vacated, the one-way door is replaced with a permanent seal.
Baby Season Considerations
Spring and early summer are peak birthing season for most Ontario wildlife. If baby animals are present, our technicians take extra precautions to ensure mothers and young are not separated. We may delay installation of one-way doors until babies are mobile enough to exit on their own, or use specialized techniques to reunite families safely. This humane approach is not only ethically responsible — it is required under Ontario law.
Ontario Wildlife Law
Under Ontario's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, most wildlife species cannot be relocated more than one kilometre from where they are found. Killing or harming protected species carries significant fines. ZeroBite uses legal, humane one-way door systems for all wildlife removal.
Our Wildlife Removal Checklist
- Full roofline, soffit, vent, foundation, and deck inspection
- Species identification and baby season assessment
- Sealing of all secondary entry points with galvanized steel mesh
- Humane one-way door installation at primary entry
- 3–10 day monitoring period to confirm all animals have exited
- Permanent seal replacement of one-way door
- 2-year warranty on all exclusion work