Your dog or cat being sprayed by a skunk is a stinky nightmare. Notoriously hard to wash off, the stench can last for days, even with the most aggressive treatments. Sherman, CT’s American Bio-Tech specializes in animal control and removal, and they frequently take calls about skunks roaming in areas where pets like to play. Here, they give their top tips for keeping pets skunk free to help you avoid a smelly hassle.

Why Do Skunks Spray?

Skunks spray as a defense mechanism when they feel threatened. The spray is meant to confuse, overwhelming the senses of potential predators and giving the skunk time to flee.

Skunk Challenges

Unfortunately, given dogs’ interest in strong smells, some actually enjoy the experience of being sprayed and will seek it out after it happens the first time. Like raccoons, skunks are also now common in more suburban and urban areas, providing a special challenge for animal removal experts since you don’t have to be in the wilderness to encounter them.

How to Avoid Them

There are lots of steps you can take to prevent your pets from encountering skunks, such as:

• Beware the Night: Skunks are nocturnal, so be extra careful in the evening when you’re taking the dog for a walk, and keep pets on leashes when you’re outside with them.
• Skunk-Proof the Property: Block off entryways to areas beneath the deck and house and into your shed. Clear stumps, brush piles, and other junk from the yard. Skunks like to hole up in small spaces and crawl under debris piles, so preventing access will discourage them from hanging around.
• Feed Pets Inside: A mainstay animal control measure is keeping food out of reach, as it attracts skunks and other critters. Feed pets indoors, and if you must feed your cat outside, elevate the bowl, as skunks are not good climbers.
• Secure Bins: Tightly secure garbage and recycling bins with bungee cords or other methods. This will help keep skunks and other animals away when they realize they can’t get into your tasty trash.

Skunk removal is easy when they’re discouraged from visiting in the first place. But if the above methods still aren’t enough, American Bio-Tech is the local specialist for skunk, woodchuck, and raccoon removal in Sherman. Using only humane animal control methods, they’ve helped keep pets and people safe from critters since 1971. Call them right away at (860) 355-1231 if you need animal removal, or visit them online to learn more about the types of wildlife they specialize in getting rid of.