Many residents in Orange County experience occasional visits from local wildlife, especially those that reside in newly developed neighborhoods or areas next to protected parks and wilderness trails. During spring time, these visits may become more frequent as this is the breeding season for many wild animals. While some residents understand that wildlife is being pushed from their natural habitat and take pleasure in these visits, many consider them a nuisance because of late night forages in trash cans, messes left behind and the occasional "setting up camp" in or around one's property.
While OC Animal Care understands residents' concerns regarding wildlife, we are not licensed to trap or relocate healthy wildlife and therefore do not provide these services.
OC Animal Care will respond to situations regarding any wildlife that is sick, injured, dead (depending on contract city), or has had physical contact with a human or domestic animal. For more information on the laws pertaining to urban wildlife and their protection visit the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, or for more information see below.
OC Animal Care receives many calls about wildlife from residents throughout the year. In an effort to alleviate their concerns, we have some helpful tips to discourage wildlife activity in their neighborhoods.
- Cats and small dogs can be easy prey for predators and should be supervised as closely as possible or kept indoors.
- Keep pet food indoors and do not leave food of any kind outside at night. Food left out at night will be taken as a welcome invitation by wildlife, and may prompt a future visit.
- Remove any fruit which has fallen to the ground.
- Store trash in covered, heavy-duty containers.
- Keep yards free from potential shelter such as thick brush and weeds, and enclose the bottoms of porches and decks.
- Eliminate garbage, debris, lumber piles, etc.
- Check fencing and try to eliminate access points to rooftops.
- Change automatic sprinkler settings regularly.
Taking these preventive measures should help in deterring wildlife from visiting your property. Please remember that if the three life-sustaining elements are available (food, water, and shelter), you are likely to encounter some wildlife in your area.
Click Here to see where there have been coyote sightings within your neighborhood or if you would like to report a coyote sighting.
