Report a concern about wildlife in a City park such as wildlife trapped in a structure, wildlife exhibiting dangerous behavior (such as attacking people or pets), or issues with bees or wasps.
If wildlife deterrents have not resolved your issues, property owners can trap wildlife using a humane trap or can hire a wildlife agent to remove the animal.
The Province of Ontario has regulations in place for the removal of wildlife. The property owner or wildlife agent must:
- Abide by all municipal bylaws and other applicable laws
- Not harass or capture more wildlife than is necessary to protect your property
- Deal humanely with wildlife that is captured or harassed
- Restrict activity to your property
- Not destroy the den of a furbearing mammal without approval from MNRF (Requirement for approval does not apply to fox or skunk dens)
- Release captured live wildlife within 24 hours
- Release captured live wildlife within 1 kilometre of where they were captured
- Release wildlife on private property only with the landowner’s permission
Toronto Animal Services staff are not licensed trappers with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, and they do not provide/rent traps.
Trapping, Hunting and Poisoning
- Although trapping is a quick answer, it does not solve the problem. If one animal has found a way to get in, so will others. Trapping may also leave starving young behind to die, causing a bigger problem.
- Using body-gripping traps or placing poison could result in criminal charges and/or provincial charges.
- The firing of guns in Toronto is illegal.
More information can be found on the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry's website.
