Tricky Ohio Raccoons

By Steven Shaffer, President of A All Animal Control of South East Ohio

The most unique raccoon situation I’ve dealt with was for a homeowner who owned several cats. The home had a large enclosed porch that was set up as a playroom for the cats. There were two cat doors installed to allow the cats to come and go. One allowed access to the enclosed porch/playroom area. The other allowed access to the interior of the home. The homeowner only fed the cats in her kitchen area and never in the cat playroom. Though the homeowner had many cats, she had been noticing that they had been consuming a very large amount of cat food. This had continued for over 1 year.
Finally, the homeowner went on vacation, asking a friend to feed her cats and watch her home. The friend filled the food bowls daily. One day the friend found a huge mess in the kitchen. Drawers and cupboard doors had been torn open, and food items scattered across the floor. She cleaned up the mess and filled the bowls. This continued daily until the homeowner returned. The homeowner then contacted A All Animal Control of South East Ohio to find the culprit.
From the sign, I determined that raccoon had learned to access the home through the exterior cat door, cross the playroom, enter the second cat door and stroll down the hall to the kitchen's smorgasbord of food.
I set a trap in the playroom to catch the raccoon entering through the cat door . In three consecutive nights I caught three adult male raccoon.
To prevent this from reoccurring, the homeowner installed an electronic cat door. This new cat door required a device that had to be attached to the cat’s collar. As the cat approached the door, this device would unlock the door. The door’s manufacturer guaranteed that no animal could ever enter if it was not wearing this device.
Several years went by before I received another call from this client, experiencing the same issues with a raccoon repeatedly entering her home through the new animal proof electronic cat door. She had come downstairs one morning and caught the raccoon feeding at the cat bowls. The raccoon calmly walked down the hall and exited through the cat door into the playroom. It then exited to the outside through the electronic door. These electronic doors are only to prevent animal entry and not access, so it was easy for the raccoon to exit.
I once again setup, and immediately caught another large male raccoon.
With the supposedly animal-proof cat door, what exactly was happening?
This raccoon had figured out how to unhook the two electronically controlled latches, one located in each bottom corner of the cat door. It did this by inserting a single claw, one from each front foot, into the crack of the door, and depressing both latches simultaneously to enter. I am still amazed this raccoon figured this out. For all of your Animal Control needs contact A All Animal Control of South East Ohio at (740) 732-1080 or by sending an email to seohio@aallanimalcontrol.com

A All Animal Control of South Eastern Ohio Offers Complete Wildlife Control

No matter what the wildlife control problem, A All Animal Control of South Eastern Ohio has the knowledge of over twenty years of experience and tools to get the job done. “I will control virtually any mammal, bird or reptile, in all situations. Bats and ground moles are my specialties.”, states Steve Shaffer, President of A All Animal Control of South Eastern Ohio.
“I began trapping when I was 9 years old. Then in the late 1990’s, I began to get calls from individuals that were having difficulties with animals causing damage to homes and properties. These calls were often for animals that were out of season, in cities and towns where normal trapping is not allowed, or were for animals that were not furbearers, squirrels, bats, snakes, etcetera,” he said.
It was then that the opportunity arose to turn a talent into a full time business. “Because of these calls, I obtained an Ohio Nuisance Wild Animal Trapping Permit and started a business under the name of Steve’s Wildlife Removal. In January of 2008 I joined a National Team of Wildlife Experts to further my knowledge and training. At that time I also changed the business name to A All Animal Control of SE Ohio LLC,” Shaffer added.
Shaffer uses only humane methods of removal and exclusion. “Virtually all my methods involve the use of live traps, scare tactics and exclusions. Exclusion is the process of animal proofing the structure and either installing mechanisms to allow the animals to leave and not return or to prevent their entry in the first place,” Shaffer said. He continued, “I have a vast amount of experience in removing nuisance animals and permanently solving human/wildlife conflicts. I will solve the problem in the most humane way possible or there is no charge. I guarantee all my exclusion work and that no job is too large or small means to offer most complete wildlife service.
No matter how docile or harmless an animal might seem, there are many reasons to have an animal removed as there is no limit to damage wildlife can cause. “The reasons are many. First is the risk of contracting diseases. An animal can be infected with rabies and not show symptoms. There is also the risk of being bitten. Often homeowners will catch a non-target animal and are at a loss as to what to do with it. Each year I get calls from people catching skunks when after raccoon. In the case of squirrels for instance, ladders and other required equipment, make the job expensive and dangerous. Finally, Ohio law states you cannot just release animals into the country,” stated Shaffer.
Want to learn more? For more information visit Shaffer’s website www.aallanimalcontrol.com/animal_control_southeast_ohio.cfm or email seohio@aallanimalcontrol.com or phone 740-732-1080 or 740-260-3274. Look for featured articles in Cambridge, Ohio's The Daily Jeffersonian and Zanesville, Ohio's Time's Recorder.

Freeport Ohio Guernsy County Bat Control

Freeport Ohio is a beautiful rural community with old farm houses and gently rolling hills. This is the perfect environment for bats to take up residence in these older homes.


Bats will live in colonies of many hundreds and occasionally number in the thousands. With this many bats in your attic, the waste they leave behind with their bat guano and the urine crystals eating the wooden structure in the attic can severely damage the home.


If you are hearing screeching in the attic or have an odd smell in the upstairs of your home, you may have bats in the attic. Droppings can also be found outside on the side of the home or on the ground below their entry ways. If you suspect bats in your Freeport Ohio Guernsy County home, call the professionals at A All Animal Control of Southeast Ohio.

Mole Control and Removal Cambridge, Marietta and Zanesville Ohio

The Eastern Mole and the Hairy Tailed Mole are very common to South East Ohio. These moles can be found in the bottom farmland as well as the hills surrounding them.

Controlling the moles in Cambridge, Zanesville and Marietta Ohio is accomplished through an aggressive mole trapping campaign. Mole traps have been tried and proven to be the most effective tool to remove moles from your yard.

A mole can wreak havoc on your finely manicured lawn when it seeks it's prey of grubs and nightcrawlers. Moles do not eat roots of grasses or shrubs. If you are finding dead shrubs and bushes, more than likely you have a vole or gopher at work in your lawn or landscaping.

A All Animal Control of Southeast Ohio is your local mole removal expert. We have thousands of moles removed from lawns to our credit and can solve your mole problem.

Duncan Falls Ohio Snake Control and Removal

Black Rat Snake control and removal increases in the fall due to the snakes seeking a place to overwinter. Black snakes will seek out crawlspaces and basements for their warmth and are a great place to hibernate through the harshness of winter.

The Black snake is a superb climber and is capable of scaling trees and using the limbs as a route to get on the roof of a home! When on the roof the snakes will seek out entries to the attic and often hibernate in this area under the insulation.
Black Rat snakes can be found in any area of the home. We have found them in the basement, crawlspace, kitchen, bed and bathrooms and in attics and garages. Snake Control
should only be performed by a Snake Removal Professional.

If you find a Black Rat snake or any other snake in your home, do not panic! The first thing you want to do is to try and keep it in one area of the home. You can shut doors and windows and place towels or boards at the bottom of the door to keep the snake inside. Our snake removal expert can then remove the snake or set traps to capture it.
This Black Rat snake came from the Duncan Falls Ohio area and are common in most of Southern Ohio and Parkersburg, West Virginia.

If you have a snake problem and need a snake specialist to help, visit A AllAnimalControl for assistance.

White Nose Syndrome

Bats Threatened by “White Nose Syndrome”

Bats in Southeast Ohio and throughout the United States perform a valuable service to local residents. They consume large amounts of insects and keep many insect populations like mosquitoes in check. Bats can consume up to ½ their body weight in insects every night. Scientists consider bats an extremely vital part of the environment.

However, according to Steve Shaffer President of A All Animal Control of SE Ohio (formerly Steve’s Wildlife Removal), bats have come under attack from a new disease that threatens the populations of all species of bats. Steve’s company which specializes in the exclusion and removal of bat colonies from buildings says little is currently known about this new disease.

Scientists have named the disease “White Nose Syndrome”. This name comes from the fact that the bats suffering from this phenomenon have a peculiar white fungus around their muzzles. At this time scientists don’t know if this white fungus is the cause of the problem, or if it is a secondary infection in the bats caused by some other infection.

This disease is currently being studied in the caves that the bats use to spend the winter, which are called hibernaculas. In these hibernacula’s, bats of all species spend the winter together. So far the disease has only been reported in New York, Vermont, and Massachusetts. However the concern is that it could spread to other states. In some of these hibernacula’s the number of bats currently surviving has dropped from 90% and 97% between the winters of 2007 and 2008. The caves the disease has been documented in so far normally harbor approximately 400,000 bats. Also of sad note is the fact that there are approximately 44,500 of the federally endangered Indiana Bat species living in these caves.

The condition of the surviving bats in these caves is considered poor. They currently don’t have enough fat reserves left to survive the time remaining in winter. These bats also have been observed flying at night in extreme cold and roosting near the cave entrances where the temperature is much colder. Both these actions further deplete the bat’s fat reserves. The outlook for the survival of these bats is grim at best.
So far scientists do not know exactly how this disease is spread. Because many of these caves are popular with cavers (spelunkers), many states and private owners of bat hibernacula caves are restricting the access to these caves. This restriction is due to the fear that the disease could possibly be spread from cave to cave by being carried on the clothing and equipment of these cavers. In the caves still accessible it is recommended that a strict protocol be followed for disinfecting clothing and equipment after leaving a bat hibernacula.
What does this mean to the bats that inhabit the state of Ohio? At this time it is not known. The concern is that it could keep spreading and affect our local bat population. Since all species of bats inhabit these caves together, all species are affected.

When spring comes these surviving bats may spread the disease hundreds of miles as they return to their summertime roosts. Steve also has dealt with many instances where bats are now using the attics and walls of homes as hibernaculas during the winter. This could pose a serious health risk to humans if this disease is present in these bats.

What is also certain, says Steve, is that even in the summer bats will congregate in large numbers in their summertime roosts. This is especially true in the case of “Maternity” roosts, which are made up entirely of female bats and their young. These “Maternity” colonies can number in the thousands.

While bats themselves are beneficial, the vast majority of bats in Ohio have taken up residence in homes and other occupied buildings. This is due to habitat loss and other factors. Most often the areas bats inhabit in homes and buildings are the attics and the walls. When bats do take up residence in a home or other occupied building, they unfortunately can present a variety of health risks. Among these are Rabies, Histoplasmosis (contracted from the bats droppings called Guano), and Bat Bugs. And now this new possible health risk “White Nose Syndrome”. At this time it is not known if this disease is contractible by humans.

Because of all the different health risks from bats, Steve warns that no person should ever enter the roosting area of bats. Breathing the air in these areas can pose a significant health risk. Steve, who is a certified Bat Excluder of the organization of Bat Conservation International, says you should contact a professional who has the equipment and experience necessary to deal with the situation if you suspect bats are using your home or building. This applies to both summertime bat roosts and with bats using the building as a winter hibernacula.

If you suspect bats in your attic, have the Pros at A All Animal Control inspect the attic and provide a resolution for this problem.

Mole Control Zanesville Ohio

For my business, mole removal is an enjoyable part of my business. I’m mostly self-taught when it comes to trapping moles. However, 35 plus years of trapping made me believe I could succeed.

I believe all animals can be caught if you exploit their habits and let them tell you what to do.

For my mole trapping I prefer the MolePro mole trap. I prefer these traps because the handles when set, protrude above the ground. To me this provides a couple of advantages.

First, they provide high visibility and require no type of flagging to relocate as underground traps do. Second and most importantly, it’s easy to see when they are fired. Oftentimes homeowners enjoy seeing a fired trap. Many pull the trap up far enough to see the mole and immediately call me to inform me that “we” have caught a mole. Funny how I do all the work, but “we” catch the mole. He He! I find this behavior in people no matter what animal I’m after. I truly find this amusing.

As anyone who traps moles knows, the key to success is setting up on their travel runways. Setting up on their feeding tunnels is an exercise in futility and wasted effort. At most times of the year there is only one mole in each area of mole damage. Although often, there are several moles working the homeowners property in totally different areas.

This is a fact that is hard to explain to the homeowner. They assume that it takes large numbers of moles to do the amount of damage they are seeing. Moles feed several times in a 24 hour period and so new activity can show up quickly. I often see moles working while I’m on site.

I often arrive to find an excited homeowner telling me they just saw a mole pushing up dirt, and they wish I could’ve arrived minutes sooner. They believe I can set a trap right next to the moles activity and catch the mole right then and there. I explain to them that any disturbance would send the mole fleeing through his tunnel before I could barely begin. However, one particular homeowner was standing in the driveway as I arrived, frantically waving me to a spot along her driveway. She was emphatic that a mole was right, there and that I should immediately set a trap there so that “we” could catch the mole, pronto!

I went through my explanation as usual in these situations, but she was having none of that. I studied the area as I always do and in an effort to appease her, I devised a plan for my “Superfast Mole Removal”.
Now, I’ll take luck anytime it comes my way. But, I also believe you make your own luck. What I came up with for this lady worked beyond what I had hoped for, and I figured it was just my lucky day. However I’ve repeated this so many times since, that this is now my first plan of action.
The activity the lady observed was located towards one end of the mole’s travel tunnel. I usually set the travel tunnels up heavily, with as many as 30 traps or more depending on the size of the area. Almost invariably you’ll find feeding tunnels branching off of the travel tunnels. I try to set traps on each side of these feeding tunnels, so I can catch the mole regardless of which way it turns when it’s leaving whichever one of these feeding areas it may be in.

This may seem like overkill, because if you set a few traps in the travel tunnel you will catch the mole. However, homeowners want quick results and the faster it is, the better it is for them. Normally I start on one end and set traps till I reach the other end of the tunnel. In this case, I began setting traps on the end farthest away from the mole’s activity. When I reached a point about 8 feet from where the mole had been working, I stopped. I then began setting traps from the other end of the tunnel. I figured that just maybe, I would “herd” the mole towards the traps I’d already set.

As I neared the last trap I’d set before starting on the other end of the tunnel, I heard a “SNAP”. I looked to the left and saw that the last trap I’d set earlier was fired. I quickly pulled the trap from the ground and sure enough, there was the mole dangling from the trap!

The homeowner had been observing me through the whole process and began celebrating the demise of her tormentor immediately. I of course left the traps in for 3 days as I usually do, even though I was sure this was the only mole.

There was no more activity, as this was the only mole. I’ve since repeated this many, many times. It’s the greatest feeling to hear the trap fire and know the problem is solved before you leave the job. The homeowners are invariably ecstatic. From time to time there are more moles in the same area. I’ve caught as high as 8 in one area. For this reason, I always leave the traps for 3 days. More often than not, I still don’t catch the mole while on site. But what a feeling of satisfaction it is when I do!

Having mole problems in your yard? We can help. Visit my webpage for more details at A All Animal Control.