Critter Control of San Francisco

Wildlife Control & Removal in the Bay

Critter Control in San Francisco is here for you every step of the way in the wildlife removal process. From inspection to removal—and even exclusion and repair—we have the services you need to get rid of raccoons, rodents, and other nuisance wildlife in the Bay Area. 

What Are the Major Wildlife Removal Concerns in San Francisco?

Located on a peninsula between San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean, San Francisco is home to more than 880,000 residents. The surrounding smaller cities and suburbs bring the total population of the Bay Area to more than seven million. The area’s mix of urban and rural communities offers the perfect habitat and plenty of food sources for wildlife. City dwellers may have to confront a rodent infestation in their home or business, while those in more rural communities may find an unwelcome raccoon in their attic or skunks taking up residence in their backyard shed. Regardless of where you live, your San Francisco-based Critter Control specialists are ready to remove nuisance wildlife from your property—and make sure the animals stay away.

Raccoon Removal

Clever and adaptable, raccoons can be found throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, including Golden Gate State Park. These animals are notorious for scavenging for food, tipping over garbage cans, or eating pet food left in the backyard. In some cases, they have been known to be aggressive.

Inspection: If there’s food for the taking, chances are one or more raccoons will track it down. Your Critter Control specialists will look for signs of raccoons, including disturbed garbage cans, footprints, and poop.

Removal: Raccoons can carry diseases, including rabies; therefore, it’s always best to leave handling a nuisance raccoon to a trained wildlife specialist. Live trapping is the safest and most humane way to remove raccoons from your property.

Repairs: In addition to advising that you properly secure your trash cans, your specialist will seal all entry points to ensure raccoons never make it inside your house again.

Rodent Pest Control

All big cities experience rodent infestations, and San Francisco is no different. If a building has unsealed points of entry, rats and mice will probably make their way inside, especially when there’s food and water available.

Inspection: Droppings, gnaw marks, and the sound of scurrying are the most obvious signs of a rodent infestation.

Removal: After conducting their inspection, your technician will develop a removal plan that will most likely involve setting traps. Removing mice and controlling rats from your property may take from seven to ten days.

Repairs: Mouse and rats can cause significant damage, in addition to contaminating food with waste and spreading disease. Your Critter Control specialist will seal up the holes and cracks that invited in the rodents, clean up any feces and urine left behind, and decontaminate the area.

Squirrel Removal

The Bay Area is home to three species of squirrels: the eastern gray squirrel, the eastern fox Squirrel, and the western gray squirrel. All three are tree squirrels and, if found in residential areas, may scurry up trees and make their way to rooftops. Small openings into attics or crawl spaces may offer the perfect entry point into a home.

Inspection: A Critter Control technician will inspect your home for gnaw markings and small points of entry. They will also take note of nuts and debris these animals use to construct nests/

Removal: While chasing a squirrel out of your attic may seem like the easiest, quickest way to rid your house of a squirrel, please leave squirrel removal to a professional. Your specialist will most likely use a live trap or one-way door to remove the animals.

Repairs: Squirrels often chew their way into a home; therefore, your specialist will repair any damage and seal up all points of entry. If the squirrels have left behind a mess, Critter Control will also remove all debris and decontaminate the area.

Bat Removal

There are 16 species of bats in the Bay Area, including the little brown myotis, silver-hair bat, western mastiff bat, and Mexican free-tailed bat. These nocturnal insectivores are an important part of the ecosystem and can be found roosting in a variety of places, such as caves, under bridges, and inside buildings. As a protect species, you cannot trap and remove bats during mating season. Humane bat control almost exclusively involves exclusion work.

• Inspection- Small squeaking sounds. Piles of droppings in one corner of the house. Stains on walls and strong ammonia smell.
• Trapping & Removing- Generally a bat can only be trapped and removed if it is in the livable part of your home. The vast majority of the time, bat control will involve a roosting colony in your attic. In that ccase, one way doors will be employed once the bats offspring have reached maturity.
• Repairs- Sealing entry points. Disinfecting areas from accumulation of guano.  

Skunk Control

If you’re a homeowner in one of San Francisco’s suburbs, you may at some point find one or more skunks in your yard. These animals, known for the pungent odor they release when threatened, enter yards to find new food sources or suitable dens. Don’t ever try to remove a skunk yourself. In addition to the unpleasant experience of getting sprayed, skunks also carry diseases such as rabies.

Inspection: In addition to taking note of any lingering odor, your Critter Control specialist will take note of damaged landscaping and look for established dens

Removal: The best way to remove a skunk is live trapping. Never attempt to handle a skunk without the help of a professional. Critter Control’s trained technicians are equipped with the safest and most humane skunk removal tools and techniques in the industry.

Repairs: Critter Control specializes in getting rid of left-behind odors and repairing any property damage caused by skunks. We will repair damaged access points, including foundation vent screens.

San Francisco Wildlife FAQ

What are some of the most common wildlife issues that homeowners face in San Francisco?

The most common wildlife issues that homeowners are facing here are rodents, raccoons, opossums, skunks, squirrels, rabbits and gophers. Of course you will see other animals such as deer and coyotes, but those are a result of smaller animals infesting the area.

How do the seasons affect wildlife activity in the Bay Area?
Seasons do have an effect on some animals depending on their mating season, but with the California climate and consistent weather we have in this region customers will notice these critter issues year-round. These critters are looking for food, water and shelter, and whether its extremely hot, or cold and rainy, they want to get into customer's homes.

What are some of the common signs of nuisance wildlife activity?
The most common signs of nuisance wildlife activity are digging in the yard, scratching in the walls or attic area of the home, and various smells from animals either dying, or skunks spraying their odor.

Any prevention tips for residents in your area?
If you want to help keep animals away there are a couple things you can do. First, and the most important, do not leave any food sources out where animals can get to them. This includes leaving dog or cat food out, or storing food items in the garage without a proper seal. Also, it is important to keep doors and windows protected (especially your garage door). This includes proper screening, seals, and making sure there are no gaps leading into your home.

When should homeowners call Critter Control?
You should call as soon as you notice the first sign of any activity. The sooner you call, the quicker we can get the issue under control.

How much does Critter Control cost?
There are a number of factors that determine pricing; location of the animal (i.e. - chimney, attic, crawl, wall void, living area), condition of the animal (i.e. - sick, aggressive, dead), location and condition of the property and time of year (i.e. - weather condition, offspring present?). Generally speaking, pricing will vary by location and species for just the animal removal and that pricing usually does not include the entry repair.

How Professional Wildlife Control Services Can Help You

Encountering wildlife inside or outside your home or business can be an unsettling experience for any property owner. In addition to worries over possible injury or the spread of diseases, the presence of any wild animal—raccoons, squirrels, bats, birds, or mice—can lead to costly repairs. Instead of trying to deal with an animal yourself, make the right choice and call a professional wildlife specialist because:

• Handling a wild animal requires the proper equipment and training.
• Trying to remove an animal yourself can lead to injury.
• You will not have to repair your home yourself. A wildlife technician will ensure your home is properly cleaned and restored.

Why Choose Critter Control

• Reason #1: Critter Control is the nation’s leading wildlife control company with over 30 years of experience.
• Reason #2: Critter Control specialists believe in the most humane removal techniques.
• Reason #3: Critter Control will not only remove the animals— our technicians will make the necessary repairs to ensure the animals stay out.

Critter Control Services

• Wildlife Removal & Control

  • Safe, humane removal of nuisance wildlife and pests from your home and property.

• Wildlife Pest Prevention

  • Reliable prevention from future animal intrusions in your home. 

• Animal Damage Repairs

  • Professional and permanent repairs to entry points, insulation, and damage from animal urine or feces.

Serving the following locations:

Bellvale
Bernal Heights
Butano Park
Coloma
Dearborn Park
El Granada
Embarcadero
Haight-Ashbury
Half Moon Bay
Hunters Point
Linda Mar
Lobitos
Loma Mar
Miramar
Montara
Moss Beach
North Beach
Outer Mission
Outer Sunset
Pacifica
Prescadero
Presido
Richmond District
San Gregorio
Sea Cliff
South Sanfrancisco
Sunset District
Twin Peaks
Visitacion Valley