From far away, raccoons may seem cute and cuddly (at least to some of us), but they can actually be a significant nuisance, and even be dangerous to you and your family. From knocking trash cans over to ripping apart your house to spreading dangerous diseases, having raccoons in your area can pose a real risk. Luckily, it’s relatively easy to avoid attracting them. Here are a few tips to help you ensure raccoons don’t invade your property, and a couple of things you can do should they make their home on your property (or worse—inside your home).

Remove The Attractants

The easiest way to prevent a raccoon invasion is to remove the things from your property that attract them in the first place. This should include:

• Using secure covers for your trash cans
• Don’t leave food outside, such as on your patio, or for a pet (or even other wild animals)
• Remove wood piles (where raccoons like to nest)
• Trim overgrown bushes (another place they like to nest)
• Remove branches or trellises that allow access to your roof
• Cover open spaces leading to under your house (another place they might like to nest)

Scare Them Off

If you’re seeing raccoons in your area too often, you may want to consider getting a dog and letting it roam your backyard. Raccoons typically avoid areas where they sense other animals, and a larger dog will likely leave behind a scent that will deter raccoons from getting into your yard. Additionally, a dog’s bark will likely scare them away.

That said, not everyone wants or can own a dog. If that’s the case for you, consider getting motion-activated lights or water sprinklers. Just remember, raccoons are really smart creatures, and they learn very quickly. That might mean trying a variety of tactics to see what works. For example, if you’re using a sprinkler, try to reposition it every day in a random direction. By doing this, raccoons won’t be able to learn what parts of your property to avoid.

Give Them A Shocking Experience

One extreme solution is to get a fence, but not any fence—an electric fence. Like most animals (and people), raccoons don’t like to be shocked, and an electric fence will ensure that they don’t climb in.