The odor
Sharp and hard to argue with. A lighter version can hang around a den even on a quiet afternoon.
Skunk removal in Columbus, OH That smell under the shed is a skunk. Leave the hole open.
Skunks dig under sheds, porches, and crawl spaces. The smell is the clue the whole house agrees on. The job is getting them out without a second chapter.
How do you know it is a skunk?
A dug door
A hole along a foundation, under steps, or beside a shed, with dirt fanned out. Often cat-sized, sometimes larger.
Lawn cones at night
Small piles where they hunted grubs. Annoying in the grass. Serious when the hole is under the porch.
Spray is what happens when they are stuck
A skunk would rather save the spray. It is for coyotes and for dogs that did not take the hint. Block the hole, corner the animal, or send a pet under the shed, and you are asking for the famous part.
Keep the dog inside. Leave the opening clear. If the skunk can come and go, we have a much better chance of emptying the den without a scene.
Do not bury a tenant
Filling the hole while a skunk is home traps it against the house. That is when people get sprayed through a crawl-space vent, or when an animal dies where you cannot reach it. We confirm the space is empty, then close it with buried mesh or a solid skirt.
Spring dens may have young. They cannot travel until they are big enough. We will say if we need to wait. Ohio also says a trapped skunk is released on the property or euthanized, not driven to another county. A bite or a pet contact is a doctor and a vet question, and it should not wait on the exclusion work.
What should you do tonight?
- Bring pets in. Curiosity is expensive.
- Do not block the hole, light fireworks, or soak the den with a hose.
- Leave a yard light on if you need to walk past. Skunks would rather avoid you.
- Tell us where the hole is, and whether you have smelled spray or only seen digging.
Common questions
The dog got sprayed. Is the skunk still under there?
Often, yes. Spray means it felt trapped. Keep the dog inside and leave the hole open. We check whether anyone is home before we close it.
Will mothballs move them?
Please skip them. They are a bad idea around kids, pets, and the air of a house, and they rarely end a den. There is a calmer repair that actually closes the entrance.
Can you trap it and release it in the country?
No. Ohio requires a captured skunk to be released on site or euthanized. The useful work is emptying the den and closing it so the next one cannot dig back in.
The longer explanation, with sources, is in the guide Skunks under the house.
Ready to sleep through the night again?
Tell us what you're hearing and when. You don't have to know what it is.
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