Wildlife Removal Before & After Photos

After we safely and successfully removed several gray squirrels from this home in Tinton Falls, NJ, we now need to seal up their entry point to prevent any future intrusions from squirrels or any other nuisance wildlife.

There was a portion of the roof shingles that had a pretty big opening on both ends that was perfect for the squirrels to enter the home. After we disinfected the area, we installed sturdy, metal flashing on each end of the shingles, screwed them in place, and sealed them with a premium, waterproof adhesive.

A homeowner in Tinton Falls, NJ was having an issue with groundhogs harboring under her shed. Fortunately, at the time of our inspection, the groundhog had moved on and was no longer hiding under the shed. However, if nothing is done, the groundhog will return and continue to harbor under the shed and cause structural damage.

The best method to protect this shed is to remove all the debris surrounding it and install Dig Defense®. Dig Defense® is a below-ground fence system that is 15 inches deep and 4 feet across and protects structures against invasive nuisance wildlife and feral animals. 

Homeowners in Red Bank, NJ, had a raccoon gain entry into their attic through the ceiling fan. Previously, our wildlife team successfully retrieved, removed, and safely relocated the trespassing raccoon, and also installed a tough galvanized steel mesh attic fan cover that would permanently block the entry point.

The homeowners however were concerned, and rightfully so, that there could still be unseen urine seepage or other hidden damage to their insulation. They did not want to take any chances. For their own peace of mind, the homeowners felt this was an opportune time to improve the quality of their attic insulation. 

We first removed the potentially contaminated insulation and flooring. Once that material was cleared out, we disinfected the entire attic to remove all traces and smells of a raccoon infestation.  Finally, after we replaced the flooring with new plywood, we “blew in” 12 inches of our TruSoft insulation. TruSoft blown-in cellulose insulation offers superior thermal properties as well as a pest control component. Now, with this top-quality insulation, these homeowners will enjoy a more comfortable energy-efficient home with reduced heating and cooling bills.

A property manager of an apartment complex in Belmar, NJ called our office after his maintenance team saw a few squirrels coming out of the soffit area of one of his apartment units. He called our Little Rascals Nuisance Wildlife division and we were sent out.

As we inspected the unit, we noticed that the flashing on the soffit was missing. Apparently, there was a big wind storm the other night and this caused the flashing to rip right off! The squirrels saw the opportunity and took full advantage.

Fortunately, the squirrels left the area and were no longer present in the unit. We disinfected the attic area and installed new metal flashing on the soffit. Now the apartment unit is no longer vulnerable to any future squirrel intrusions. 

After homeowners in Belmar, NJ, found themselves with squirrels in their attic, they contacted Cowleys to deal with this wildlife infestation. Squirrels managed to gain attic entry by tearing off a loose piece of soffit in the corner of the roofline.  Builders often call these particular roof returns as “pork chop.” Apparently, they use this peculiar label because this common, generic roof return is quick and easy to build relative to other designs. The trade-off is that they aren’t a particularly elegant design. For homeowners that don’t care about their home being featured in Architectural Digest, this roof design is perfectly fine. With these returns, the raking fascia is built flush with a triangular piece that covers up the end of the rafters and merges with the soffit below. Sometimes, however, these roof corners are used by some wildlife like squirrels and raccoons to gain entry into the attic by attempting to tear off or bend this metal triangular piece enough for them to squeeze into the attic. Sometimes, like with this squirrel infestation, they are successful!  

Upon arrival, after inspecting the roof area, I saw what I needed to do to catch these wily critters. First, I placed a “one-way” door over the opening used by the squirrels. These “one-ways” do precisely what their name says — they allow wildlife to exit, but they soon find out that it’s a one-way trip. These doors only open in one direction, so they are blocked from returning. To monitor wildlife activity, I like to place a piece of tape on the door so that i know whether any wildlife has left 

I also placed two baited traps to lure the unwanted guests out of the attic. Often, when there are now objects placed where the animals are coming g and going, they are timid about exploring them and they need to get acclimated to the objects so they don’t perceive them as a threat. To catch wildlife, you need a bit of patience. Also, it doesn’t hurt to use the right bait that’s too tempting to resist! 

After it is clear that there is no more wildlife activity or the animals have been trapped, I’ll patch the area with aluminum flashing and ensure that the roofline is secure and the homeowners won’t be visited by any more squirrels. Often, especially with wildlife infestations that have gone on for some time, the attic has been contaminated from droppings, and the area must be deodorized and sanitized. Cowleys has experienced crews that specialize in wildlife clean-up and the removal and replacement of contaminated insulation.

With the attic now sealed, this homeowner should not be visited by any more raccoons.