Humane Squirrel Control

At a clients house in Bristol, I recently had a unique experience with squirrel control that showed me a different side of the job.

I wanted to share something positive for one of our first blog posts because it’s not all about killing things as a pest controller. Sometimes it's about saving an animal's life.

The situation I was called to investigate involved noises and property damage in a domestic loft and bathroom. The client reported trouble with squirrel damage to his property and requested that the squirrels be removed humanely.

I inspected the property both externally and internally, and here's what I found.

Internally, there was evidence of damage to pipes in the bathroom and insulation material under the bath. The client had covered a hole coming from the pipes outside and sealed it with a towel that prevented the squirrels from entering his property. As I removed the towel, I noticed some fly larvae.

In the loft, I found rodent droppings and disturbed insulation together with a strong smell of rat urine.

Externally, I checked the areas surrounding the house, both high-level and low-level, and found some potential entry points for the squirrels.

Instead of just removing the squirrels, I wanted to take a more humane approach. I set up a one-way door to allow the squirrels to leave the property but not re-enter, and then sealed up all the entry points to prevent future infestations. It felt good to have been able to help these creatures find a new home without causing them any harm.

First, I identified a broken tile on the roof and minor damage to the fascia. As I inspected the property, I noticed that the gable end of the soffit housing was also missing.

Additionally, I highlighted disturbance to the ground around a drain inspection cover and revealed how the earth around the property had started to subside.

There were numerous trees present, and some were overhanging the property and resting against it, making it easy for rodents to access the roof.

The property was a semi-detached and the house adjoining appeared to be okay, with no signs of any squirrel activity in the gutters, fascia, or roof area. It was at this point that I discovered a young squirrel lying on the ground.

The neighbouring house (not adjoining) on the other side, clearly had damage to the guttering and a likely entry point for squirrels. I noticed there was also a bird feeder in the garden, that would have offered rodents an easy meal.

My first priority was the safe recovery of the young squirrel. I placed the baby squirrel in a box and made arrangements to take it to the squirrel rescue sanctuary in Banwell, near Weston-Super-Mare. It warmed my heart to know that this little squirrel would be given the care and attention it needed to thrive.