The director of a family daycare operating from a residence in the Vimont sector, in Contrecoeur, on the South Shore, contacted our team urgently when a skunk sprayed directly near the main entrance of the daycare, one morning when the children arrived. The situation was critical: several parents had immediately turned back with their children, the smell being unbearable at the entrance. The person in charge of the daycare service was forced to temporarily close her premises. In Contrecœur, residential areas near the banks of the Richelieu River, such as in certain areas of Duvernay or Fabreville, regularly welcome skunks that move to inhabited neighbourhoods.
Emergency Inspection and Risk Assessment
Our technicians came to the scene within an hour of the call. Inspection revealed that the skunk had established its burrow under the front porch of the house, less than two metres from the front door. Traces of scratching and recent earthworks confirmed that the animal had been occupying the premises for at least a week, without anyone noticing its gradual installation. The gallery was built on concrete blocks placed on the ground, leaving a space of about twenty centimetres, enough for an adult skunk to settle comfortably. The spraying had taken place in response to the sudden arrival of parents and children, perceived as a threat.
Our exterminator in Contrecoeur also checked the rear areas of the property: fenced yard, compost bins and garden shed. No other active access was found aft, but the shed had potential openings that were noted to be plugged as a preventative measure.
Capture protocol adapted to the presence of children
Given the daily presence of young children on the premises, the capture device was designed to be entirely invisible and inaccessible to unsuspecting third parties. Cage traps covered with an opaque cover and fixed to the ground by metal fasteners were positioned at the entrance to the burrow, out of the reach of children. A discreet road sign has been placed for adults. The director was informed not to let the children access the gallery until the end of the intervention.
The skunk was captured on the first night. Skunk capture with covered traps significantly reduces the animal’s stress, thus reducing the risk of spraying during handling. The relocation was carried out in a natural environment, far from any inhabited area, in accordance with good wildlife management practices in Quebec.
Neutralizing odors and reopening the daycare
The smell left by the spray at the entrance was treated with a professional enzymatic air freshener applied to the floor, the steps of the gallery and the bottom of the front door. An additional treatment was carried out inside the vestibule, where the smell had slightly infiltrated the hall. The daycare was able to reopen the next morning, with a completely neutral smell. A fast and efficient animal capture and relocation service is particularly valuable in this type of context where each closing time represents a direct impact on families and the service provider.
Sealing and preventive recommendations
The gallery was protected by a galvanised mesh fixed all around the perimeter and buried to prevent future intrusions. The openings in the rear shed have also been sealed. Recommendations were provided on the management of kitchen waste (leftovers from children’s snacks and meals that attract wildlife) and the installation of motion-sensing lighting at the front of the house, which discourages night skunks. Our extermination services in Quebec always include a preventive dimension to ensure the sustainability of the results. All the recommended preventive measures have been recorded in a report submitted to the director, who can send it to the inspector responsible for renewing the daycare licence. Also consult our achievements on other interventions in sensitive contexts and on wildlife in densely populated residential areas.