05/03/2026
It's the time of year when we start to see wildlife emerge from their cozy winter dens and look for new safe, dry and warm places to give birth and raise their young. We get a lot of calls in the spring from folks reporting animals like skunks, raccoons, foxes and squirrels under their porches and sheds or in their barns and backyards. Here's a few dos and don'ts for keeping these critters together, but out of your home:
🐾 DO: try to coexist with the animal. They are likely to move on from the area once their young are old enough to do so.
🐾 DON'T: live trap and relocate the animal--it's illegal! Doing so can spread diseases like rabies throughout the state. It can also unknowingly create orphans if a mother is trapped and relocated away from her young. Additionally, dropping an animal in an unfamiliar location is often dangerous for them, as it removes them from the safety of their den, food and water sources, and it can make trouble for the people who live in that area too.
🐾 DO: use humane exclusion techniques, like making noise or shining bright lights in the area where you think there's a den. Most wild animals don't like the disturbance, and will move to an alternate den site. This may take some time, so be patient as the mother relocates her young.
🐾 DON'T: touch wildlife with your bare hands. If you think you have found an injured or orphaned animal, check out www.wildlifehelp.org as a resource to help, or visit our website to find a Vermont Wildlife Rehabilitator or your local Game Warden. If you've been scratched or bitten, call the USDA Rabies Hotline right away and get medical attention.
📷 VFWD
