URGENT!

Call Nature's Nursery for advice - 419-877-0060

Another great place for assistance ... Back to the Wild in Castalia, Ohio.

You can get contact information from their website ...

www.backtothewild.com

You'll get a big fine for returning wildlife to it's natural habitat?

SherryET, either you're WAY off on that 'fine' thing OR our illustrious law makers should be euthanized.

If I were you, I'd find them a nice 'hiding place' safe from neighborhood pets, and to hell with 'mans law'.

Don't forget to seal up all possible access areas to your house to prevent future intrusions.

Here is the number to the local DNR rep, who might be able to offer advice:

Lucas County: Kevin Newsome (419) 429-8388

As far as state law goes, you are not permitted to trap and release raccoons away from your property. You may let the animals go free on your own property, though, and there is no law against, say, banging a bunch of pots and pans to make your house less desirable.

:-}

Of course, you have the added guilt of chasing away a mother with babies, but unless you live in a rural area, I would not recommend turning your property into a raccoon den, given the risk of rabies infection among these critters.

raccoons were destroying my parents home in grand rapids, ohio - so my dad live traps them, & then transports them (by car) to a rural area away from their home (and other's homes). Better than killing them. But they are mean, spit,bite - be careful. Put food in the trap to get them in the trap.

I was told by 2 animal control people that raccoons have been reclassified a nuisance and by law they have to euthanize them. I can almost see their point. After calling the police non emergency number and talking with the lady there, we decided to take them to a nearby pond with trees and release them. She told us to make a smart decision.

At the time I wrote this post my husband had Mama next to the muffler of his truck. I was desperate! I convinced him to wait til we found another solution. Letting them loose in the back yard was not an option. We had to do something with them immediately as Mama was bloodying herself trying to get out of the cage.

The attic is now sealed and my husband is now disinfecting the patio where Mama sat in the cage.

When we let them go Mama ran fast up a tree and I sat and waited a minute and watched her come down for her babies. I hope they will be OK. When we got home my husband kissed me and thanked me for not letting him kill them.

Thank you guy's so much for all your help.

Happens every year. All over the place. I've got a family right now under our deck. We are coexisting for the time being. I have 14 bird feeders and two ponds with running water year around. You can't have that as an attraction and not have wildlife. You soon learn to live with them. Even two of my three dogs just ignore them. The third one goes a little crazy but since the dog only weighs 6-1/2 lbs the coon just waddles off laughing. Keep your animals vaccinated. Wildlife has to be somewhere.

It's totally out of the Bear Patrol's jurisdiction.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Much_Apu_About_Nothing

Yes, it is illegal in Ohio to relocate raccoons. So, to be entirely legal, you have to either let them live in your house or have them euthanized.
In the real world, however, you have other options. If you have them all together, consider driving them to a wooded area and letting them go free. Of course, don't have the local news there doing a story on it. If you need a good location, email me and I'll give you a good place to "relocate" them. Heck, if you really want, I'll relocate them to my backyard.
Let us know how it goes.

Here's my email.

joeyjwil65@aol.com

A birdfeeder always attracts racoons and other wildlife at night. I feel sorry for them because their habitat is shrinking, too. I've been feeding the birds for years, and there is always a racoon or two every now and then nibbling on the bird seed at night. They run like crazy when they see me. They will also likely live around a food source, as will any wild animal. I had a group living in my garage before I had to chase them out. Very cute, though. I'm glad there was a good outcome for you. I, too, would find a rural area for them to live. I don't think I could have any animal killed unless it was a threat to me and my family. I've not come across any like that, though.