FAQ - Our Services

Why can't animal control handle this problem?

• Your local animal control officers are trained to handle domestic animals, such as dogs and cats. Nuisance wildlife control has been left to the private sector due to decreased revenue and a lack of training in wildlife control to our localities.
• If a wild animal is in any way threatening your health in the living space of your home, animal control will respond to the call.
• See our Links section for information on your local animal control offices. 

What is urban wildlife management?

• Urban wildlife management is the process of using the most effective methods available to resolve a human - wildlife conflict so that it is desirable for both humans and wildlife. Whenever possible eviction without trapping or not physically removing the animal from its home or home range is desirable. Although, most human - wildlife conflicts require trapping and removing the nuisance animal(s) from their home and home range due to the risk of human health or recurring damage.
• There are several different views and definitions of Urban Wildlife Management, this one is ours.

What is a nuisance wildlife control specialists?

• A nuisance wildlife control specialists is a trained individual that specializes in a particular trade. Ours is wildlife control, not bugs.

What is a Certified Wildlife Control Professional or CWCP?

• CWCP is an individual that has successfully completed the requirements of the National Wildlife Control Operators Association (NWCOA) and proven to the Certification Review Board, one hundred (100) hours of developmental education, over thirty-six (36) months experience and agrees to follow a strict Code of Ethics.
• A member of our staff is the first CWCP in the State of Virginia.
• This is a national certification, not to be confused with internal certifications given to employees by their employer.
• Our CWCP must continue his education through approved courses regulated by NWCOA in order to keep his CWCP status.

What is the difference between a biologist and a wildlife biologist?

• A degree in Biology is a broad course schedule of topics related to biology without any specific biological target.
• A degree in Wildlife Biology is a specific course schedule of topics that are related to wildlife.

Do you have a wildlife biologist on staff?

• Yes, he received a B.S. degree in Wildlife & Fisheries Science, with a minor in Forestry.
• See the About Us section for more details.

Is your wildlife biologist local?

• Yes, he is available at your request at any time.
• See the About Us section for more details.

Is this a full-time or part-time business?

• Yes, we employ 3 full time employees and 2 part-time employees.
• We have a full-time secretary to answer your call during normal business hours and two full-time technicians to handle your problem.
• Our part-time employees are seasonal or as needed.

Can a pest control company help me with this wildlife problem?

• Do not call a plumber to fix an electrical problem.

Do you use chemicals or pesticides?

• No, we are not licensed to do so. We will be glad to refer you to someone that can if chemicals or pesticides are needed.

What is the difference between you and a pest control company?

• Pest control companies are licensed and trained specialists that deal with insects, rats, and mice using pesticides.
• We specialize in nuisance wildlife control only.

Can you refer me to a pest control company?

• Yes, we have several companies that we can refer to you.
• Please look under our Links section for the companies in Virginia.

Do you provide services to residential and commercial business?

• Yes, we treat our commercial business customers just like our residential.

Do you offer yearly contracts to commercial customers?

• Yes, we will provide a yearly contract to fit your needs.

Do you offer yearly contracts to homeowner's associations?

• Yes, we will provide a yearly contract to fit your needs?

What are your business hours?

• We provide our services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year.
• Normal business hours are 8 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday.
• Our phones are forwarded to a technician outside normal business hours.

What is your service area?

• Our service area is Roanoke and New River Valley.
• We will go outside these areas only for pigeon and bat removal services.
• If there is another company in your area that can service you, we will refer them.
• See our Service Area for more details.

Can you refer me to a company closer to my home?

• Yes, we have a network of companies throughout Virginia and the United States.
• Please look under our Links section for the companies in Virginia.

Do I have to sign a contract?

• Yes. In order to protect you and our company a contract must be signed.
• Our contracts spell out the services to be provided, as well as our guarantee and warranties.
• You should not do work with a company that is not willing to back up their work in writing.

Do you charge for these services?

• Yes. We are not funded by your local, state or federal government. We are a private business and must charge for our services.
• See our Our Services section for more details.

Do you give free estimates?

• Yes. We will give you a free phone estimate for our trapping services.
• No. If we have to come out to your home, we do charge a minimal service / consultation fee.
• Yes & No. The initial service / consultation fee to give you an exclusion repair estimate for bats, pigeons or rodent exclusion at your property will not be charged if you hire us to do the job.
• See our Estimates section for more details.

What does the consultation or inspection fee cover?

• This fee covers a full exterior inspection of your home or property. Interior if necessary.
• The reason we charge for this, is that we explain what needs to be done in complete detail and put it in writing for you to see.
• If you decide that you are able to do the work yourself, then you can. We charge the fee.
• If you hire us to do the work, we will not charge you this fee with a signed agreement. You will only be responsible for the price of the work to be performed on the agreement.
• See our Inspection / Consultation section for more details.

What does the service fee cover?

• The service fee covers us coming out, inspecting the exterior, setting the traps, and keeping them baited as long as it takes to catch the target animal(s).
• See our Service Fee section for more details.

What does the price per animal fee cover?

• Typical for jobs with only two traps set or larger animals.
• Cost effective to the customer knowing that we may not catch two or more animals every trip.
• The price per animal fee covers us coming out, removing the contaminated trap and animal from your property, re-setting a clean trap with fresh bait, disposal of the animal, cleaning and disinfecting the contaminated trap for the next customer.
• See our Per Animal Fee section for more details.

What does the per trip fee cover?

• Typical for jobs with multiple traps set, knowing we will catch more animals, or for wildlife management properties.
• The price per trip fee covers us coming out, removing the contaminated trap(s) and animal(s) from your property, re-setting clean trap(s) with fresh bait, disposal of the animal(s), cleaning and disinfecting the contaminated trap(s) for the next customer.
• See our Per Trip Fee section for more details.

How do you prevent from catching non-target animals?

• Most urban nuisance animals have adapted to eating anything but what they biologically should eat.
• We use species specific paste baits, but they do not always work the way they should.
• We try our best to set the traps in the area where the target animal is traveling.

Do you charge for non-target animals?

• Yes we do. We still have to come out, release the animal if needed or remove the contaminated trap and animal from your property, re-set a clean trap with fresh bait, disposal of the animal if needed, clean and disinfect the contaminated trap for the next customer.
• It is the customer's decision to have us remove or release non-target animals.
• See our Per Animal Fee section for more details.

Why are the traps covered?

• We have rigid metal covers fabricated to cover the top, sides and bottom of the trap for several reasons.
• The top and sides are to protect the animal from weather, to help prevent anybody from putting their fingers in the trap and to keep any domestic animals from coming into contact with the animal.
• The bottom is covered to help reduce any urine or feces from being left in your yard. It also reduces damage that the animal can create by trying to dig its way out of the trap.
• This cover also prevents curious people that may pass by from seeing into the trap or what may be in the trap.
• You never know when you may catch a non-target skunk in a trap set for a woodchuck, raccoon or opossum.
• It also reduces stress to the animal when we handle the trap and when we are transporting the animal in the back of our vehicle.
• We do not use cloth material to cover our traps because the wind may blow it off and the animal usually will pull the cloth into the trap leaving it uncovered.
• See our Animal Care section for more details.

Do you put enough food and water in the traps for the animal in case you cannot get to the trapped animal right a way?

• Yes. There is plenty of food for the animal.
• Yes. In the warmer months we will attach water bottles to the traps if necessary. We like to place the traps in shaded areas to reduce heat and dehydration of the animal.

Will you inspect my attic and crawl space?

• Yes. Attic and crawl space inspections are only necessary with certain species or situations.
• Additional charges over our standard service fee may be incurred. See our Inspection / Consultation section for more details.

Do you guarantee your service?

• We guarantee that you will receive the most courteous, honest, and professional wildlife management service in southwest Virginia or its FREE!
• See our Our Services section for more details.

How long is the service fee good for?

• Your contract will specify the time period that it is good for, which is usually a minimum of 30 days.
• If the target animal has not been caught in 30 days, which is rare, we will leave the traps out as long as it takes to catch the target animal at no additional service fee cost.
• See our Service Fee section for more details.

How long does your standard service last once you pull the traps?

• Our standard service fee is usually a minimum of 30 days. Once we pull the traps or after the target animal has been
• captured, we will re-set the traps if another target animal is seen within one week.
• See our Service Fee section for more details.

Why did you pull the traps before 30 days?

• Once the target animal(s) have been captured and we have not had any captures or you have not seen any activity in a week we will pull the traps. Leaving the traps set will only increase the chances of capturing a non-target animal. We will re-set the traps inside your contracted service period at no additional cost.
• You also have the option of purchasing the optional service warranty.
• See our Service Fee section for more details.
• See our Optional Service Warranty section for more details.

Will you repair the damaged areas to prevent future problems?

• Yes. We will inspect the entire structure to find the current problem area(s), as well as any potential problems areas that should be repaired. We will give you an itemized estimate of these repairs and prices in your contract. You have the option to do what repairs you feel comfortable with. We will only recommend repairs that we feel are important to prevent future problems.
• See our Repairs section for more details.

Do you warranty your repairs?