Did you know that it is illegal to trap and relocate wildlife in Oregon without a permit? There are several reasons for this but one of the biggest is it’s often really challenging for animals to establish themselves in new territory.

If you notice some unwelcome guests on your property, Kristie Austin from animal care provided some helpful tips to keep wildlife away from your home and livestock.

1. Clear bushes and weeds away from your house and install motion lights or sprinklers.
2. Use enclosed compost bins and keep fruits from trees cleared from the ground. An animal will only return if it finds your home rewarding.
3. Keep pet food inside, especially overnight.
4. Seal up your home to prevent wildlife from entering and tightly cover outside garbage bins.
5. For livestock protection use hardware cloth on all enclosures. Most wildlife will avoid any type of electric fence and perimeter fences help deter them from your yard.
6. If you have a homestead or farm consider a livestock guardian dog or donkey. When raised with livestock they will do an amazing job keeping the wildlife at bay and keeping all types of livestock safe.

Kristie explained, “This beautiful young gray fox was safely released back to where he was caught to rejoin his family after working with the homeowners to increase the safety measures for their chickens.”

Kristie reminds us to always try to remember the wildlife was here first and our development is chasing them into the areas we consider “ours”. Many of the animals we consider “nuisance” are actually beneficial to humans. Whether it’s a fox keeping rodent populations under control, or a bat chomping down on mosquitoes, learning to live with wildlife is beneficial to humans and the broader ecosystem.