Rabies remains a concern in 2025 for residents of Haldimand-Norfolk and Hamilton, with local experts and homeowners working hard to balance safety and coexistence with wildlife. To fully grasp where we are today, it’s essential to look back at 2016 when a notable outbreak of raccoon rabies gripped the region. This context highlights not only… Continue reading
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Rabies in Hamilton: 8 Years After the Outbreak in 2016
Rabies Outbreak in Hamilton Back in 2016 Reaches 33 Cases Back in 2016, an outbreak of raccoon rabies significantly impacted the Hamilton area. By February of that year, the total number of confirmed cases had risen to 33. Eight additional cases were confirmed in early February 2016, as noted on the City of Hamilton’s page… Continue reading
Durham Animal Control: Tapeworm Found in Wildlife
We often think of wildlife animals as being invincible especially when it comes to the numerous viruses and bacteria that endanger human health. But wildlife animals are just as susceptible to ailments as people. In fact, one parasite, the tapeworm or Echinococcus multilocularis (E.multilocularis), is wreaking havoc on the wildlife population of North America. This… Continue reading
Looking to Buy a New House? Know the Signs of Rodent Infestations
Purchasing a new home is a very fulfilling and exciting experience for many people. But real estate acquisition is also very tedious as a number of factors must be considered. The process can be so complicated and thrilling at the same time that a key issue like an animal infestation is often overlooked. Most new… Continue reading
Raccoons May Be Nature's Globetrotters
Raccoons are present in so many different countries and continue to thrive where other animals are challenged to do so, mostly because they rank among nature’s most extreme survivalists. Given the effort that the animals put into defeating the odds stacked against them we should really opt for humane raccoon removal when we face raccoon… Continue reading
Humane Tips and Rules To Follow When Trapping Wildlife
Wildlife control is something countless homeowners throughout Canada have to face all year round. When dealing with an infestation, your first instinct will likely be to get the critters out before they cause damage and put your health at risk. There are some strategies that people try themselves and one that is never recommended is… Continue reading
Be Careful Using One-Way Doors to Remove Wildlife
There are many do-it-yourself solutions to wildlife removal. Understanding how animals are getting into your home is the best place to start. One-way doors that allow wildlife to exit your home for food or water but prevent re-entry can be useful and inexpensive, but they can also cause unexpected complications for DIY pest controllers. What… Continue reading
Fall Is a Busy Time for the Animals in Your Neighbourhood
As we begin to reach for our hats and sweaters, raccoons, squirrels and mice are hard at work preparing for winter. Shorter days and cooler temperatures help let animals know that food and shelter are soon to be in short supply. While raccoons, squirrels and mice will slow down during winter, they do not hibernate… Continue reading
Domestic Rabies Found in Hamilton After Man Bitten by Cat
On August 25, 2016 the first case of domestic rabies for over two decades was found in Hamilton. A rabid cat came into contact with a Haldimand-Norfolk resident. The man is now receiving treatment after being bitten by the infected animal. Hamilton Public Health are investigating and testing to see if it’s related to the… Continue reading
When to Call Wildlife Removal Professional
It’s always tempting to do things yourself. Mainly because it’s cheaper. But, wildlife removal needs to be taken seriously and a in many cases it takes a professional to get the job right and safe. Do it yourself wildlife removal is troublesome Online there are tons and tons of different do it yourself solutions for… Continue reading
Where Do Animals Go After Wildlife Services Remove Them From Homes?
In Ontario it’s illegal to trap and move wildlife over a kilometre away. In many circumstances they don’t survive. They could be separated from their families or regular food source. It can also help to spread harmful diseases like rabies. When to remove wildlife from your home As soon as you discover any evidence of… Continue reading
The Humane Touch – Why It’s More Effective Than Killing
Although it’s probably hard to believe, but there is plenty of wildlife in close proximity of your home. Species such as raccoons, squirrels and mice have adapted to living in suburban areas. Becoming scavengers and building dens where ever they can. This seems annoying and something we should control. But, each animal has its role… Continue reading
Rabies Cases Rise in Hamilton, 70 Animals Infected
The number of rabies cases in Hamilton continues to grow, prompting a warning from Public Health to steer clear of raccoons and skunks. The wildlife rabies is spreading to more skunks, the number of raccoons and skunks found with rabies since December has jumped by 44 cases to 65 in the past two months. Hamilton… Continue reading
Animal Invasion in Burlington Leads to Black Mold, Roof Damage
When it comes to wildlife invasion in the home, the damage they can cause can be costly to your home as well as your health. On a service call last week in Burlington, our Wildlife Specialist came across frost and black mold inside a client’s attic. The mold was developing on the truss and roof… Continue reading
Raccoon Found in Niagara Tests Positive for Rabies
Niagara Region Public Health is asking residents to be vigilant after a raccoon in West Lincoln tested positive for rabies. A raccoon from the Caistor Centre area in West Lincoln- right beside Hamilton- has tested positive for rabies. It’s the first non-bat case of rabies in more than 25 years, said public health’s Peter Jekel,… Continue reading
Ticks: Your Most Common Zoonotic Disease
While ticks are mostly a nuisance, some can carry pathogens. Pathogens are microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses and parasites that cause illness. If a tick infected with a pathogen bites you, disease transmission is possible, and you may become sick. In addition to Lyme disease, ticks also carry ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and others. Some ticks are… Continue reading
Psittacosis: Common Symptoms, Causes and Treatment
Psittacosis — also known as parrot fever, and ornithosis — is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by a bacterium called Chlamydophila psittaci and contracted from parrots, such as macaws, cockatiels and budgerigars, and pigeons, sparrows, ducks, hens, gulls and many other species of bird. The incidence of infection in canaries and finches is believed to be lower than in psittacine birds. In certain contexts, the word “psittacosis” is used when the disease is carried by… Continue reading
How to Prevent Your Kids from Acquiring Zoonotic Disease
Zoonotic diseases, or zoonoses, are diseases that can be transmitted from animals to people and from people to animals. How are zoonotic diseases transmitted? Transmission of a zoonotic disease can potentially occur when a person comes into direct contact with secretions or excretions—such as saliva or feces—from an infected animal. Additionally, a disease may be… Continue reading
Zoonotic Disease
Every year, tens of thousands of Canadians will get sick from a disease they caught from a bug or other animal. These are known as zoonotic diseases. What is Zoonotic Disease? Zoonotic disease, also called zoonosis, are a group of diseases that can be transmitted to humans by nonhuman vertebrate animals, such as mammals, birds,… Continue reading
10 New Cases of Raccoon Rabies Found in Hamilton
The number of raccoon rabies cases in Hamilton has nearly doubled since the start of January. That brings the total number of cases found in Hamilton since December to 21. Haldimand County now has four cases. The latest cases, reported online Jan. 26, were found across Hamilton, including in upper and lower Stoney Creek, Ancaster,… Continue reading
Rabies: Understanding the Rhabdovirus
With 15 confirmed cases of raccoon rabies in the Hamilton, ON and surrounding areas, and a case of arctic fox rabies in Perth, ON there has been a lot of discussion, concern and questions about the virus. Rhabdovirus AKA Rabies has been recognized for over 4,000 years. Yet, despite great advances in diagnosing and preventing… Continue reading
The Health Risks of Bird Droppings
Urban pigeons are descendants of the Rock Dove, a species of pigeon domesticated by humans for food and as pets. Birds that were released or escaped became today’s city pigeons. Pigeon droppings are as much a concern as the pigeons themselves. On average, a well-fed pigeon deposits 25 pounds of droppings a year. Pigeon feces… Continue reading
The Dangers Bats Present to Your Home and Your Health
Bats tend to divide people into two categories. Those who love them, appreciate their importance to the environment, or those who are afraid of them as a result of misinformation or folklore. While we at Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control are bat lovers, and value and appreciate their role in our ecosystem, we also want homeowners… Continue reading
Cow in Ontario Tests Positive for Arctic Fox Strain of Rabies
Animals on a farm in Perth County are under confinement after a calf on that farm tested positive for rabies according to the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. The PDHU said the cow was infected with the Arctic fox strain of rabies, which arrived in Ontario in the 1950s. It’s the first… Continue reading
Four More Raccoons Test Positive for Rabies in Hamilton
Four more raccoons have tested positive for rabies in Hamilton, bringing the total number of area cases to 10. Six of those diseased raccoons have been found in Glanbrook, including two of the latest positive tests identified on the city’s public health update site Monday. The other two new cases are identified as being in the east… Continue reading
Allergies? Insect Bites? Try Pest Control
People who have insect allergies rejoice! A recent study from Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology gives new hope for your aversion to creepy-crawly-bitey insects as it reveals the possibility of injections that would make you “less allergic”. It’s a promising development that should decrease the risks for particularly vulnerable people, even though some will… Continue reading
Effective Wildlife Control: A Critical Step to Protecting Yourself from Debilitating Infections like Lyme Disease
Ottawa has an abundance of parklands that are home to significant wildlife populations, making the job of nature photographers like Heather King relatively easy. However, things took a turn for the worse for King during one of her usual nature hikes in 2009 when she contracted Lyme disease from a black-legged tick. The disease actually… Continue reading
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