For the past 3 nights, there's these two possums that hang out on top of a short brick wall between my house and my neighbor's. They seems to just sit there and my two dogs (Corgi and Siberian Husky) constantly try to get at it! One time it came down from the brick wall and my two dogs almost attacked it, but my brother was able to take away the dogs into the house. I called animal control and they told me that they couldn't do anything about it because they are protected by some kind of Wildlife regulation. They told me to trim down the tree (where the possums hang out) on my side of the brick wall, but I'm not so sure that's gonna work. Any suggestions on how to get rid of them without killing them? I'm so scared that my dogs will get hurt by one of them and I know my husky is the type of dog to attack a strange animal (he's attacked an injured cat before that crawled into the backyard once). I don't even leave food out overnight for my dogs so I don't see why they are there. Thanks.
2007-08-06 14:33:46 · 20 answers · asked by Jenna 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
I can't bring in my dogs in at night cuz they need to go out to pee or poop in the middle of the night and I don't want to go through the hassle and stress (like I use to) of having to get up and let them go out for awhile and bring them back in once they're done. Plus there's the possibility of crime in my neighborhood so I don't want to put in a doggy door or anything like that.
2007-08-06 15:32:35 · update #1
call animal control and maybe they can remove them for you,
2007-08-06 14:38:01 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
I live in Florida and once had a mama possum come into my kitchen about 2:30am and she had a litter of 6 crawling on her and in her pouch. After I put my 3 dogs up, I called animal control and they came right out for her. They assured us that they would be taken to a wildlife area designated for these type of animals and set free. Possums are very passive and would run away rather than confront your dogs. This is also why they "play possum". They are not pests but actually very good to have around. Still, with the dogs, I would call animal control. Good luck.
2007-08-12 17:31:45 · answer #2 · answered by SinSister 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The opossums were there first! Where are they supposed to go? They live outside in trees. Do what animal control said, if you really care. The only way an opossum is going to hurt your dog is if it's got rabies, which your dog should be vaccinated against it anyway....it's a law in TN to have your dog vaccinated against rabies. If you want to look at this logically, the opossums were there first! You need to take precautions, by not being lazy, getting up out of bed and letting your dogs back in the house. If you really want to remove them, you can set no kill traps for them and bait them with food, but you will have to keep your dogs up to do that so they won't kill them when they come to investigate the trap. Then you will have to take them to a forest and release them....but I'm not entirely sure that this is legal for an ordinary citizen to relocate a wild animal. But if you are too lazy to get up and let your dogs in or cut some branches off a tree, you are too lazy to do this anyway.....so I don't know what else to tell you.
2007-08-14 14:18:55 · answer #3 · answered by Mrs. CT 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There's a lot of good advice here. But if you read your own post, it should be obvious to you that the dogs deserve better than an outdoor schedule for your convenience. You might try getting them crates. Dogs love crates. Dogs won't generally mess in their crates. They can be inside at night, where they should be. Taking care of your dogs is part of being a responsible dog owner. Gotta get up at 2:30am for the dog? It shouldn't happen very often, and if it does, it comes with the territory. Sorry, but you are a dog owner. And the possum? It should eventually go away if dog food and water isn't around. They're actually very timid critters. Possum are nocturnal. Dogs generally aren't.
2007-08-14 12:17:37 · answer #4 · answered by Edward M 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Possums and raccoons are protected wildlife in many areas which means that you can't do anything to them, yourself.
Generally speaking, if a tree hangs on your side of a fence or wall but belongs to your neighbor--you may cut the part that is on your property--however, you may not trim or cut it to the point that it causes harm to the whole tree. Possums are nocturnal and will move from place to place, so they may not be around long. Especially since they know you have dogs.
However, you can pay the $$$ to have a licensed animal trapper come trap and relocate them.
2007-08-14 06:59:26 · answer #5 · answered by Bromeliad 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
We got rid of the possum that we had hanging around by putting up a live trap with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in it and then released it in a remote location. It took two nights before we caught it. And we borrowed a live trap because we did not own one. I would highly recommend this technique. If you don't want to take this route call animal control and they should be able to help you.
2007-08-14 07:08:02 · answer #6 · answered by chelle_j 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have had and still are having the same problem...I called the humane society and they told me that I would have to buy a trap from them and set it up and when the critter was captured, they would come and get it. It seems that no one want to do anything to take care of this problem. They are rodents, remind me a GIANT RATS! I do not want to be cruel to any animal, but this is just ridicules! I wish that I had an answer for you, but till this day, I have not been able to get this problem resolved.
Try getting a trap I guess and then when you trap them, call the humane society. Good Luck!
2007-08-13 13:35:35 · answer #7 · answered by Joel H 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, I think that if you took the dogs in at night, there wouldnt be problem because you wouldnt even know that the possums are there. If your dogs are properly housebroken, they should be able to make it through the night without have to go outside. I would suggest to spay the possums gently with a water hose, it sould scare them enough not to come back but not hurt them.
2007-08-14 09:28:33 · answer #8 · answered by Wolfy*Spay/Neuter* 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Its you neighbors tree, probably not much you can do about it.
If they are protected, have to leave them. They aren't hurting anything.
How about you bring your dogs in at night. They'll leave the opossums alone then. Everyone is happy. Dogs should be with their owners not stuck in the backyard.
Its a compromise of sorts, dogs get the yard during the day, opossums get it at night. Honestly with the way we are ripping up habitat for wildlife I think we all need be able to make these little compromises. Its their planet too.
2007-08-06 14:41:01 · answer #9 · answered by Bindi *dogtrainingbyjess.com* 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If your neighbor doesn't have dogs ask them to set a cage trap in their yard. info on trap device can be gotten from the humane society. Good luck!
Poor possums going the way of the buffalo. On second thought sell the dogs and raise possums.:)
2007-08-14 13:36:21 · answer #10 · answered by gm8888 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i work for an animal control agancy in nebraska, opossums, are not aggressive they usually play dead and only "attack" so to speak if corned, make sure there is not food or water source around aka, trash cans open, dog food out , and they will find some where else to go, rent or buy a humane trap at a farm store trap them and relocate them. we charge a fee to come and get them..........wild life is a part of nature they put up with us as much as we do them
2007-08-06 15:26:10 · answer #11 · answered by Mrs ACO 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋