A grilled specialty restaurant located in Sainte-Catherine, on the South Shore, called on our team after noticing repeated nocturnal intrusions of raccoons in the outdoor garbage area. The animals had learned to force open the lids of the garbage bins and left a considerable mess in the alley along the building every night, much to the displeasure of the neighbors and the restaurant’s customers. An individual had even been seen inside the equipment shed, after slipping through a window that had remained ajar. For a food establishment subject to regular health inspections, this situation represented a direct threat to the establishment’s certification. The alley runs along a wooded linear park that facilitates the nocturnal movement of raccoons between Sainte-Catherine and Delson, making this corridor particularly active.
Establishment Health and Wildlife Inspection
Our technicians inspected the entire exterior perimeter of the restaurant during an evening visit, in order to observe animal activity in real time. The waste area, the rear shed, the terrace, the roof ventilation system and the spaces under the service access platform were all examined. Scratch marks on the garbage bins, footprints in the mud around the shed and droppings under the service platform confirmed the regular presence of at least two to three adult individuals. A major access point has been identified: a space between the shed door and its frame, which is insufficiently joined on the lower side. The inspection of the roof also revealed a partially detached ventilation grill on the alley side, another potential unsecured access point. A full diagnostic report was submitted to management before the start of the work.
Targeted capture and relocation out of the area
Two large cage traps were installed in the waste area and in front of the shed, baited with food scraps that were attractive to raccoons. The traps were placed in a way that would not interfere with morning deliveries and normal restaurant operations. The daily check was carried out in the early morning, before the kitchen teams arrived. Three raccoons were captured in four nights. The animals were relocated to a wooded area several kilometres from Sainte-Catherine, beyond the wooded corridor, in an area approved for the relocation of wildlife. Our pest capture service is used to interventions in catering establishments, where discretion, speed and compliance with health standards are essential. Check out our food commercial capture achievement to see how we handled a very similar case in the region.
Securing and decontamination according to food standards
After the captures, our technicians proceeded to secure all the identified accesses: replacing the detached ventilation grille with a bite-resistant model and fixed with stainless steel screws, installing a steel door bottom on the shed to fill the entrance space, and reinforcing the garbage bin lids with approved safety latches. A complete decontamination and disinfection treatment was carried out in the shed and around the waste area to eliminate attractive residual odours and biological risks related to excrement. Our extermination team in Sainte-Catherine is available quickly for food establishments in a health emergency.
Sustainable prevention protocol for restoration
A waste management protocol was given to the restaurant’s management and communicated to all employees: exclusive use of approved lockable bins, rinsing of containers before being deposited in the garbage, weekly inspection of exterior accesses and immediate reporting of any sign of animal presence to the designated manager. Our certified extermination experts provide a structured response report, which is useful during inspections of food establishments by the competent authorities. Also discover our capture in densely urbanized commercial areas to see how we manage similar contexts in other municipalities on the South Shore. A seasonal preventive visit contract is available for restaurants and food shops wishing to maintain their health certification and avoid recurrences.