Page 33 - Leisure Living

Nuisance Animal Control-
Where To Find Help
By Gino A. Barna, Game Warden Services, barna9@roadrunner.com
In the early 1980’s when I began my career as a Wildlife Officer, nuisance animal control was primarily handled by the state Game Protector assigned to each county. The Officers were is- sued live traps and hand snares to handle the calls. Game Protectors received calls at their home or from the district office to contact a person regarding a nuisance animal. I received a call once from a boat owner at a marina on East Harbor concerning a mink. I arrived and sure enough, there was a mink living on his 32 foot yacht. I set a live trap and had the mink in a few minutes. I made the mistake of placing the trap with the mink in the back seat of my patrol car. I soon found out mink can smell as bad as a skunk.
There have been a considerable number of changes since then, regarding dealing with nui- sance animals. Wildlife Officers, as they are now called, no longer handle ordinary nuisance animal calls. This business is left to the nui- sance animal trappers licensed by the Ohio Di- vision of Wildlife. A licensed nuisance animal trapper knows the regulations concerning the trapping of a nuisance animal.
A nuisance animal is usually a raccoon, opos- sum, or a skunk causing damage to your prop- erty. Other than the land owner, only a licensed nuisance animal trapper can trap and remove the animals. An important requirement in the law is that raccoons, skunks, opossum, and fox taken by a landowner or under the authori- ty of a nuisance animal permit cannot be re- located. They must be euthanized or released where they were trapped. On the other hand, squirrels, chipmunks and groundhogs may be relocated.
If you are having issues with any wild ani- mal, contact your state Wildlife Officer. The Officer is an expert on animal behavior and if necessary, can provide nuisance animal trapper contact information. The amount the nuisance animal trapper charges can vary so a person can shop around for the lowest price. As a nuisance animal trapper, I can also assist the caller with preventing future problems with animals. This
can be done by filling holes, sealing off places where animals get in, and installing deterrents. For assistance with a nuisance animal, I can be contacted at 419.672.1480.
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May 2015 LeisureLiving | 33