You may have the telephone number on speed dial for wildlife removal, but if you suspected squirrels or raccoons were living around your property, would you contact a local environmentally efficient organization or your local government animal control? Loudoun County provides you with both opportunities, but which is best for the animals and you?
Virginia State Laws and Responsibilities
Animal control in Loudoun County is governed by Virginia state laws, where the county and towns are responsible for ensuring emergency services are provided 24/7, every day of the year, by animal services officers.
Unfortunately, most their services appear to be related to dog attacks on humans and domestic animals, stopping dogs from attacking livestock and the collection of stray dogs roaming the neighborhood.
The officers have a wide-ranging responsibility to deal with domestic animals, to respond where companion animals are sick or injured and ensure the rabies vaccination and dog licenses are enforced throughout the county. When it comes to removing pests or wildlife from your property, turning to a private organization who can deal with the removal of living or dead animals from your property may become your best choice.
The private company operating animal control in Loudoun County will have years of experience of dealing with squirrels, raccoons, mice and rats regularly. They will understand how the animals can be efficiently captured and returned to the safety of their natural habitat.
The state and county officers are a very small department who may not be able to respond quickly, should you report raccoons living in your backyard. They are more likely to be involved where livestock are at large and may be causing a threat to traffic or where there has been cruelty to or abandonment of animals. They will take a specific interest when investigating any elements of dog or other animal fighting, as the enforcement agency.
Your local animal control company will be more interested in relocating animals that should not be living within your property and potentially have become a threat to the health and safety of your family.
