What Should I Know About Raccoon Relocation?

Information about raccoon relocation. Where to reclocate it? How far away to bring it? What happens to the animal?

Both do-it-yourself homeowners and professional nuisance wildlife removal companies catch raccoons in live cage traps, such as the "Havahart" brand. The next question question is, "What do I do with it?". Many states mandate that the animal be killed, because it's a rabies vector species. Thus, many companies will euthanize the animal. But many homeowners decide to drive the raccoon to "the woods" and let it go there. This seems like the more humane option (plus you don't have to do the work of euthanizing the animal and dealing with carcass desposal). But is relocation a good choice?