Toronto, Ontario – 2024
This article will analyze and recount a skunk and raccoon eviction in Toronto. Animals were burrowing under the foundation of an old victorian house in the Annex or Toronto, Ontario. This is not a common event as most wildlife that burrow tend to live under decks and sheds. In this case the animal had accessed a set of wooden stairs to get directly under the house itself.
This visit is located between Ontario Highway 27 and Treelawn Blvd in Toronto, Ontario.
The technicians, before the work is done, must first inspect and confer with the customer or customers on the issue and then must inspect for the source of the issues which was a burrowing animal like a skunk or raccoon that had dug directly under a house. To remove it the foundation of the house had to be trenched and a one way door installed at the entry point the animal used to get under the house.
Toronto, Ontario: The Annex
The Annex, a vibrant neighbourhood in Toronto, is conveniently located near the University of Toronto’s St. George Campus. It’s a popular spot among students, boasting numerous independent bookstores, bars, and cafes along Bloor Street West. The Annex also offers a variety of attractions, including Lee’s Palace, Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, and the renowned Royal Ontario Museum.
The neighbourhood is renowned for its tree-lined streets lined with elegant houses, giving it an old-world charm. Explore the campus and discover a plethora of cool restaurants, art galleries, and unique shops. If you venture down the back streets, you’ll be amazed by some incredible old houses, some dating back over 130 years. Take a moment to relax and enjoy the cool vibe of this historic neighbourhood, sipping on a cup of coffee while soaking in its rich heritage.
Exterior Inspection
When the technician arrived on site they performed an exterior inspection of the property and found activity were the foundation met the wooden stairs a gap was present allowing an animal to burrow under the actual foundation of the house. This is not a common occurrence and is certainly unusual. However the work that can normally be done on a deck can also be done against a houses foundation. The process that I used is called trenching. The technical will dig a one foot by six inch trench around the accessible areas the animal can burrow into and then attach something called a one way door. The one way door allows the animal or animals to vacate while preventing them from getting back in. The trenching itself protects other accessible areas that the animal can try to borrow under again, preventing it from re-entry and resulting in the animal vacating the property to find a new home.
Initial Measures
The first step was to trench the area. The technician can only do the work when the ground is not frozen which means this process cannot be done in the dead of winter. However if there is a warm day when the soil is movable then the work can be done. The trenching involves digging a one foot by six inches trench around all accessible areas the animal could access. Failing to do so would allow the animal to just move over a foot or two and get back under the area they are using as a den. For this reason all the work quoted must be done on site for the work to be successful. A partial job cannot be done and will fail to get the animal out.
Proposed exclusion
The technician sealed off the foundation of the house where the animal burrowed under the foundation and any other areas that were accessible to the animal. The technician then installed the one way door which is capable of allowing either a skunk or a raccoon to vacate regardless of their size was installed at the burrowing entrance. This process is long and difficult and the cost reflects it. However attempting to use a trapping program to remove the animal takes much longer and also does not prevent other animals from penetrating the area after the previous animal was removed.
Conclusion
The technician excluded the areas and when the animal vacated and left the property the technician returned and removed the one way door. The area was then protected against animal ingress and covered with a two year warranty against other animals penetrating the work. While the warranty is only for two years the work will last a lifetime as the materials used are weather proof galvanized steel mesh.
Contact us at Raccoon Control
See more of our work at the following links:
Raccoon Deck Exclusion Involving Baby Raccoon and Adult Raccoon in Old Toronto