Raccoons at Houston Apartment Complex

Sunnyside Apartments should call us. Based on what's being said in recent news stories, there could be 50 to 100 raccoons on that property. They've apparently been there for more than a year.

ABC 13 recently ran a story about raccoons at the complex. Residents are seeing three to six raccoons on their porches and patios. While raccoons are most active at night, some of the residents are seeing them during the day, too. 

There are so many around the dumpster that residents are afraid to take their trash out at night! This is smart, as the residents report seeing babies. While raccoons are not typically aggressive, they're like most animals. If they think their young are being threatened they are prone to attack. Plus, a dumpster enclosure is the perfect place to make a wild animal feel cornered. A single bite or scratch could lead to disease. 

If you see that many racoons on the property you can bet they're in the building as well. Sunnyside residents also hear raccoons scratching in their ceilings. Video has shown the raccoons up on the ceiling as well. 

Residents also mention having to clean droppings off their porches and patios. Unfortunately close contact to droppings puts them at risk for diseases. This is a serious health and safety problem and we hope Sunnyside acts fast to get it taken care of. 

Unfortunately the management company's solution isn't a good one. They intend to place a few traps. We already know that's not going to work. The way to get rid of raccoons would be to find all the points of egress they're using to get into all of the apartment buildings. Then the raccoons left inside the buildings can be trapped and humanely removed.

Blocking off those entry points means they don't get back inside.

Steps would need to be taken around the property as well. For example, dumpster lids should remain closed at all times. Signs should be posted warning residents to close the dumpsters, and someone from the property should check them and close them before leaving work each night and upon returning to work each morning. 

Raccoons will tend to be more active at this time of year, because they're trying to find a place to get warm for the winter. 

While we can't do much about Sunnyside unless the Missouri-based managers decide to call us after all, we can do something about your home, business, or apartment complex. We offer humane raccoon removal…even when there are lots of them.