Will Animal Care Services trap skunks that are passing through my yard?

• No.
• Skunks and other wildlife such as raccoons and opossums are nocturnal (nighttime) active animals.
• They are looking for food, water and shelter.
• Skunks are opportunistic eaters with a varied diet. They are nocturnal foragers who eat fruit and plants, insects, larvae, worms, eggs, reptiles, small mammals, and even fish.
• First, Animal Care Services will suggest that you :
  • Remove food and water sources outside your home.
  • Put away unused pet food.
  • Put away water bowls and repair leaking outdoor faucets.
  • Secure your food garbage in closed containers.
  • Pick up and throw away any ripe and fallen fruit from trees, bushes and gardens.
  • Control grub worms and subsoil insects in your gardens and lawns
  • Use chemicals to control these insects, but remember the safety of your own pets when dealing with chemicals.
• Second, Animal Care Services will suggest that you inspect the current condition of your fences and gates.
  • Construct or modify gates and fences to prevent animals from crawling or burrowing beneath them to gain access to rear yards.
• Third, Animal Care Services will suggest that you remove heavy vegetation that would give skunks a place to burrow or hide.
  • Trim bush branches at the base level so that there are not places hidden to view and available for nesting or hiding. 
• Fourth, Animal Care Services will suggest that you may use the following methods to deter skunks on your property:
  • Predator Urine - available at home and garden centers and from the Internet
  • Cayenne pepper and water spray
  • Ammonia soaked rags - (use care not to affect your own animals)

How may I determine if a skunk or other animal is using the crawl space under my house or deck for shelter?

• Sprinkle flour around the entrance holes to the suspected area.
  • Check for tracks each morning.
  • If there are not any tracks for three consecutive days, it is likely that they are not present.
• Stuff rags, leaves or another soft obstruction into the entrance hole of the suspected area.
  • Observe whether the obstruction is moved or cleared each morning.
  • If the obstruction is not moved or removed for three consecutive days, it is likely that they are not present.

 What should I do if I suspect that a skunk has had babies in some part of my house (under the floor, under a deck, etc.)?

• Skunks mate in late winter and early spring with a gestation period of 60-75 days.
• They usually have their babies around May or June.
• If the skunk began staying consistently under your home between March and August, it may be a nesting mother.
• The best approach may be to allow the mother to raise her babies until they leave on their own.
• If they are creating extensive damage; if there are repeated discharges or odors in your home; or if waiting is otherwise not an option, you may contact a licensed pest control company to trap the entire family.

Can skunks carry the rabies virus?

• Yes.
• Skunks are the second most probably carriers of rabies in California.
  • However, rabid skunks in Los Angeles County are relatively rare.
• Bats, skunks and domestic animals with rabies account for the major number of instances in Los Angeles County.
• See the Los County Veterinary Public Health website at http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/vet/rabiesmanual/introduction.htm for more information about animal rabies.
  • The site notes that the last known instance of skunk rabies in Los Angeles County was 1979.
• The main symptoms of a skunk with rabies would be:
  • An adult skunk wandering during daytime hours with abnormal behaviors such as:
  • Paralysis
  • Unprovoked aggression
  • Moving in circles
  • Self mutilation 
  • However, there might be no visible signs.

Do skunks carry other diseases that could affect my animal?

• Yes.
• Skunks may carry distemper.

Will the Redondo Beach Animal Services Unit trap and relocate a skunk?

• No.
• California law prohibits the trapping and relocation of wildlife.
• The wildlife must be killed or released in the immediate area.

How should I remove skunk odor if my dog or I am sprayed?

• Skunk spray is an oil and is difficult to remove from cloth.

  • Wear old clothes and consider that anything that you use to clean your pet may have to be discarded.
• Soak up concentrated areas of the oil with disposable rags or paper towels before bathing.
  • You do not want to spread the odor over your pet's entire body.
• There are many suggested means of removal cited in Internet sources.  We suggest that you research these fully before using them.  Some of them are:
  • Commercial odor neutralizers (available at pet stores)
    • Some areas of Redondo Beach have a large skunk population and being prepared with a pre-purchased quantity of these products may be advisable.
  • A mixture of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and liquid dishwashing soap
    • The quantities for the each component are described on Internet sites.
    • Note the health and chemical warnings for this method before using it.
    • Note the warning not to store this mixture in a closed container for later use. 
  • Tomato juice
  • Vinegar