Is Trapping Raccoons Allowed in Ontario?

You know your city has a fair amount of raccoons when the BBC films a segment on its dense trash panda population.

Indeed, Toronto has been dubbed the Raccoon Capital of the World and for good reason. Thousands of raccoons call the city home. While we share our city with them, that doesn’t mean we should share our home or backyard with them too.

If you’re a Torontonian, you’ve probably come across one of these masked bandits around your home. You may have taken matters into your own hands and tried to trap raccoons yourself.

But trapping raccoons isn’t only highly dangerous because they are notorious disease carriers. Additionally, there are Ontario trapping regulations to abide to, which many raccoon vigilantes are unaware of.

Ontario Trapping Regulations

In Ontario, it is illegal to trap and relocate animals from the site where they were captured. This is according to the Ministry of Natural Resources, Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act.

However, the Ontario government mandates licensed trappers to use humane techniques to trap or capture furbearing animals like raccoons. Even if you’re trapping raccoons as a landowner or a resident, you’ll need a license to do so legally. Toronto Animal Services have outlined specific raccoon trapping regulations for the city, which are as follows.

Live Trapping Raccoons

When live trapping raccoons appears to be the only method of humane raccoon removal, remember:

• Removal of nuisance wildlife is done by commercial wildlife removal companies. They should be consulted when the animal must be removed from between walls or from crawl spaces. Or when the homeowner is unable to solve the problem without expert assistance.
• Reducing or eliminating whatever attracts the raccoons to your property is the only long term or permanent solution to your conflict with the animal.
• One is legally allowed to release an animal 1 km away from where it was trapped.
• Toronto Animal Services does not go out to pick up live-trapped animals.

Trapping , Hunting, and Poisoning:

• Placing poison out to kill animals could result in criminal charges.
• Current Ministry of Natural Resources guidelines state that using body gripping traps or placing poison could result in criminal charges and/or provincial charges with fines up to¬†$5,000.00.

Raccoon Removal Tips

To avoid any mishaps with the law, and more importantly, to keep you and your family safe, we recommend a humane wildlife removal service to devise a solution to your raccoon problem.

There are some precautions you can take to deter raccoons, and maybe even remove some, but remember these solutions are temporary:

• If you think you know where raccoons are entering your home, you can sprinkle flour on the areas to determine entry points.
• Making your home uninhabitable may encourage them to leave ‚Äì hang ammonia-soaked rags, play a loud radio (AM talk radio is best), keep the area brightly lit, etc.
• If all raccoons have moved out, you can raccoon-proof entry ways to your home. Secure openings, block holes with galvanized sheet metal, repair siding and holes in buildings, use heavy screening over open air vents, trim overhanging branches, and leave behind ammonia or bleach to discourage any re-entry attempts.

If raccoons are really driving you crazy, Ontario does allow raccoon hunting with a firearm at night. You can learn the rules and regulations from their official site, and will need a valid small game license or a trapping license to hunt raccoon. In short, it’s probably easier and safer, and cheaper to find a wildlife removal expert.