Humane Wildlife Removal and Relocation by Michiana Wildlife Removal & Repair, LLC
As much as I love nature, there are times when I think that it can become a little intrusive. When certain agents of the natural world introduce themselves into my own not-so-natural-world, then certain logical steps must, in turn, be taken. Humane wildlife removal and relocation by my friends at Michiana Wildlife Removal & Repair, LLC, represent for me those next logical steps.
When a business does exactly what it promises its customers it will do, and does it exactly when it says it’s going to do it, stands behind its work, then goes above and beyond what’s expected in order to get the job done, then that business deserves some serious recognition…
I’ve written a number of times here in the past about my use of non-lethal means to keep animal trouble to a minimum in my garden. In my 2021 article “How to Keep Raccoons, Possums, Minks, and Other Small Carnivores out of Your Garden,” I outlined some basic practices and made a few excellent product recommendations (intense predator scent) in a game plan designed to repel those very referenced critters. Although the plan and the products are indeed effective, situations, as Robert Burns once wrote, can and do often change. And usually, not for the better.
In 2022 and 2023, I experienced a number of events on the personal front that led to the dereliction of my garden-protection-by-repellent duties. As a result of my negligence, a population consisting of both raccoons and possums established itself on my property. By the time I’d finally motivated myself to re-undertake repelling tactics, it was too late. These guys were here to stay, and no repellent in the world was going to dislodge them. The worlds beneath my storage shed and deck became their realms.
And boy, did they like to party in my garden. (Holes, divots, uprooted plants… you get the picture.)
In early March of this year, I was finally fed up with fixing divots and re-bedding uprooted plants: the ‘coons and possums had to go.
On a Friday evening, I set a live cage trap out that I’d purchased, and I baited it with stuff that raccoons and possums like to eat (in this case, peanut butter and cocktail wienies). When I checked the trap the next morning, there was a massive raccoon waiting inside. And he wasn’t happy. When I’d set the trap out, I’d planned all along to transport whomever might be waiting inside to a place far, far away, and release him or her. Let me tell you, I couldn’t even get near that trap without this guy snarling, snapping, and swiping at me through the cage’s openings. Now what?
I’m a pussy, so I knew I wasn’t going to go near that fearsome, magnificent beast. I had to find a company that would come to my house, relocate the ‘coon (euthanasia is never an option for me unless an animal is terminally and painfully diseased or injured), and bring my trap back. Since I knew I had a bunch of ‘coons and possums camped out on my land, I also wanted to hook myself up with an operation that would help me reduce and ultimately eliminate my entrenched critter populations through a humane wildlife removal and relocation methodology, i.e. a continual trap-setting, capture, and release regimen.
So, that Saturday morning, with a big, pissed-off raccoon just waiting to take a chunk out of me from inside my very own cage trap in my very own backyard, I googled “Humane Wildlife Removal and Relocation” and immediately got some promising results.
I started making calls.
No one answered at the first three places I called, so I had to leave messages. On the fourth call, I hit paydirt. Joe, from Michiana Wildlife Removal & Repair, LLC, picked up on the first ring, and was at my house within the half-hour to collect the big ‘coon and discuss a critter remove/relocate plan. I’ll remind you that this was on a Saturday morning.
The story – all of it – has a happy beginning, middle, and ending. The entrenched raccoon and possum populations formerly living it up in my garden are now happily residing miles and miles away, and the entire humane wildlife removal and relocation process was administered, administrated, and executed with total efficiency, alacrity, and affordability by Michiana Wildlife Removal & Repair, LLC. With my property’s regular ‘coon and possum citizens (the same ones who had grown wise to the fact that there was no actual predator attached to the predator scent-based repellents I’d been using) now living in unmolested comfort in another part of the county, I’m free to resume my usual, previously effective repellent application regimen. And as an important afterward point of info, two of the three humane wildlife removal and relocation places I’d called that Saturday morning never returned my calls. The one that called back did so over 24 hours later, and left me a voicemail message informing me of their pricing, which was almost two-and-a-half times what I’d paid Michiana Wildlife Removal & Repair, LLC.
I was so impressed with Michiana Wildlife Removal & Repair, LLC (MWRR), I had to learn more about the company, and I thought that an RGG interview of the company’s two principals, Mark O’Donnel and Joe Emrick, would serve the twin purposes of satisfying my curiosity, and laying a great read, as well as a great contact, on RGG readers and subscribers – particularly on those located here in the Northwest Indiana/Southwest Michigan areas, and even more particularly, on those with humane wildlife removal and relocation needs and emergencies.
MWRR is located in Michigan City, Indiana, and services customers in both the Northwest Indiana, and Southwest Michigan areas. The operation has been in business for six years, but was restructured as a new, separate corporate entity in early 2023 when Mark and Joe became partners. Mark O’Donnell and Joe Emrick are extremely passionate about nature and its wildlife inhabitants. As true animal lovers, they emphasize that MWRR’s primary objective is to remove and relocate all nuisance wildlife in a safe and humane fashion. And, as the company’s name suggests, Mark and Joe also make repairs and exclusion improvements to buildings and structures as a result of wildlife entry and/or potential entry (you’ll read more about that shortly). These repairs and exclusion improvements each come with a one-year guarantee.
I bear witness to the company’s amazing response time. The company’s two main men assure me that 75% of the time, a customer’s call is answered live by either Joe or Mark on the first try. If the call can’t be answered live immediately, callers can expect a return call from MWRR within the hour at the absolute most, but usually much, much sooner. I can tell you that I personally have never had any problem whatsoever with communication from this company.
Now you know that as far as humane wildlife removal and relocation services are concerned, I’m a big, big fan of Michiana Wildlife Removal & Repair, LLC. And, it’s time for that interview I promised. Let’s learn a little more about the boys and the work that they do.
JS: Well, guys, let’s get right down to it. I’m going to start out with an obvious question: What wildlife do you remove and/or relocate?
MO: We remove and relocate bats, squirrels, mice, rats, voles, chipmunks, groundhogs, raccoons, possums, birds, deer, coyotes, foxes, rabbits, skunks, snakes, turtles, amphibians, moles, and much more.
JS: What’s the largest animal you’ve been called on to remove? How about the smallest?
JE: The biggest animals we’ve ever removed were actually not living. In areas where vehicle-wildlife interactions are common, we encounter a lot of deer fatalities. The removal of dead deer accounts for our largest individual animal removals. The smallest animals we remove and/or exclude from certain areas are mice, chipmunks, and voles. We also have been called on to rescue and relocate small amphibians, like salamanders, and reptiles, like turtles and snakes. But in all honesty, some of the snakes we’ve removed and relocated were actually really big!
JS: There’s a locally famous story, Mark, about an encounter you had with an American Bald Eagle a few years ago. Can you tell me about that, and can you also tell me about the most unusual animal removal experience you guys have had?
MO: back in 2020, when the company was operating under its old name, I was driving down I-94 when I noticed some Michigan State Police on the side of the highway who were dealing with an injured eagle. It had flown into the side of a vehicle and was unable to fly. The troopers were waiting for the DNR (the Michigan Department of Natural Resources) to arrive before trying to handle the bird. I offered to try and detain the bird and place it into the back of one of the squad cars. They accepted, and I was successful, and the rest was local history. The eagle was transported by the State Police to the care of a DNR game warden. It made a full recovery and was released back into the wild. We’ve been involved with the removal and relocation of some pretty unusual and unexpected animals, like an extremely rare blonde raccoon, and coyotes and foxes that had wandered into heavily populated areas. But I’d have to say, my brush with that awesome, powerful eagle had to be the most unusual experience I’ve had since I’ve been trapping and relocating professionally.
JS: What’s the most dangerous animal you’ve been called on to remove and relocate?
JE: Well, apex predators in our area like foxes and coyotes are obviously extremely dangerous. They’re powerful, fast, and intelligent, and they’ve got huge teeth and strong jaws. I mean, they’re coyotes and foxes! And large, hoofed and antlered animals, like deer, are incredibly strong, and can also cause serious injury. We’re looking forward to the challenge of relocating a healthy adult. But out of the animals we remove and relocate in the course of our more routine jobs, raccoons are probably the biggest threat to our customers and to us. They’re cunning and powerful, and some can be extremely aggressive and unpredictable. They’re probably at their most aggressive and dangerous when they’re being transported with a catch pole. In a case like that, the only thing keeping the animal from us is that length of pole. There’s no cage separating us from them, and those teeth and claws are right out in the open. It can definitely be a challenge trying to handle them that way.
JS: Have either of you ever been injured by an animal you were removing and relocating?
MO: Fortunately, no. Neither of us has ever been injured by an animal during its removal and relocation. But there have definitely been some close calls and some scary moments, especially when we were removing angry raccoons or possums from tight spaces. But thankfully, neither one of us has ever been hurt during the course of our work.
JS: It seems to me that wild animals typically don’t discriminate when it comes to the types of property they visit. Do you remove wildlife from both residential and commercial locations?
JE: True. Nature goes where nature goes. So yes, we definitely do remove wildlife from residential and commercial and industrial properties.
JS: Are wildlife-human interactions more common in rural locations, or do you get more removal calls from customers in urban and suburban areas?
MO: The biggest part of our business comes from urban and suburban areas. Wild animals are constantly looking for food, and the food consumption and disposal habits of high concentrations of people will a lot of times result in an easy meal. So lots of wild animals, including omnivores like raccoons and possums, know that where there are people, there’s also food. Many of our customers are really surprised to learn just how many different animals are active in their neighborhoods.
JS: I’ve heard about raccoons and other climbing animals, like squirrels, getting into the attics of residential homes. In cases like this, can you guys remove them?
JE: Yes, that’s actually one of the main services that we offer. How we move forward in the case of an animal that’s made entry into a home depends mainly on the kind of animal we’re dealing with and its habits. To catch the animal or animals, we’ll either position a trap at or near the animal’s point of entry, or we’ll physically enter the space and remove them manually. In order to prevent a re-entry, we’ll give the customer an estimate for something that’s called an “exclusion,” where we’ll actually structurally seal the property to keep the animal from entering.
JS: Global question right here, guys. This is a concern for so many RGG readers, and for me, as well: Are your trapping and removal methods humane, and, assuming they are, do you relocate and release the animals in areas where they’ll be safe, and where future contact with people is minimized?
MO: Yes, our trapping methods are humane. One of our more frequently used techniques is called a “positive set trapping method,” and it’s used primarily for raccoons, groundhogs, opossums, and skunks. This is involves the use of a live trap that is placed directly over the opening that the target animal is using for ingress and egress to and from a specific area. Once the animal enters the trap, a mechanism is tripped that closes both doors and traps the animal. We place these traps on roofs, on the ground, or on walls of structures – really, any place that we know the animal is going in and out. We’ll either have our customers let us know when an animal has been caught in one of these traps, or we’ll personally check it regularly when our customers can’t be there on a continual basis. We love and respect wildlife and nature. The traps are specifically designed to NOT cause physical harm to the trapped animal, and we NEVER let an animal remain in a trap for prolonged periods of time. We release the animals that we catch on private rural property in each respective county that we service, where they’ll be safe and unlikely to encounter people.
JS: Are there ever cases where an animal can’t be safely relocated and released?
JE: Unfortunately, yes. If an animal displays any signs of sickness such as distemper or rabies, we will euthanize that animal. This prevents other animals from being infected, and eliminates the terrible pain and suffering associated with these diseases. The symptoms are unmistakable, and it’s heartbreaking to see an animal suffering from one of these diseases. Since humane wildlife removal and relocation is what we do, the necessary steps need to be taken to make sure we’re taking the best possible care of the animals we trap. Sometimes that best possible care means not allowing a terminally ill animal to suffer.
JS: Do any animals ever damage or escape from your traps?
MO: The traps that we use are commercial grade. They are very well built, and once an animal is trapped in one of them it will not escape or damage it. And again, these traps are engineered to not cause harm to the animal.
JS: I’ve heard countless horror stories about human and pet interactions with skunks. How can you possibly remove and relocate a skunk without being blasted?
JE: When dealing with a skunk that’s been trapped, it’s super important to approach the trap slowly and to keep the animal as calm as possible. We do this by covering the trap with a blanket or tarp to try and keep the animal calm while transporting it. Although these tactics have worked for us so far while dealing with these guys, there’s just no 100% guarantee that we still won’t get sprayed. Luckily, it hasn’t happened yet. But it’s definitely the risk you run when you’re handling skunks.
JS: In the past, I’ve had great success repelling raccoons and possums by using actual bottled and granular predator urine – specifically coyote urine. Spraying, squirting, or sprinkling these products around evidently triggers a flight instinct in these critters and has really done the trick in keeping them away. Mostly. There was a period of time, however, when I was negligent in applying this stuff, and during the period that my property remained untreated, a small population of both raccoons and possums took up residence on my land. It seemed to me that once they settled in, they were no longer fooled into believing that their natural predators where present. Once the genie is out of the bottle, so to speak, can flight-triggering repellents ever work again on those same individual animals, and if not, is there anything a property owner can do to mitigate raccoon and possum invasions, and subsequent damage to property? Also, how the hell does anybody get a coyote to piss in a bottle?
MO: While there is no product that we have found that is absolutely 100% guaranteed to stop animals from coming around, there are things like predator urine that seem to work in certain situations. As far as deterrent products go, we’ve had luck using different types of hot pepper powder. This will irritate the animal’s nasal passages and make it uncomfortable, and can cause it to leave a certain area. But not all animals respond the same way to a certain deterrent or repellent, and every situation is different. We’ve found that most of the time, repellents offer only a temporary fix. The only guaranteed way to stop nuisance animals from invading a certain area is to physically and completely block the point or points where they enter. As far as the question of how someone can get a coyote to pee in a bottle goes, your guess is as good as mine!
JS: I know that sometimes people will catch animals like raccoons and possums in their own, store-bought traps. I’m one of those people. How often do do-it-yourself trappers like me chicken out when the time comes to actually handle the occupied trap and release the captive? Can these situations be dangerous for either or both the human captor and the wild animal captive? How often do you guys get involved with bailing people out in situations like this?
JE: We get quite a few calls from people who’ve caught animals in their own traps and want us to relocate them. In cases like this, we’ll pick up their trap and release the animal, then return the trap to them a day or two later. it’s absolutely one of the services that we offer. There’s definitely always a chance that something can go wrong when releasing any wild animal. When it’s time to release an animal, we take precautions like wearing thick leather gloves and doing common sense things like keeping our fingers away from teeth and claws and out of the danger zone. Since we do this every day, we’re pretty comfortable doing it and it’s really almost like riding a bicycle for us. But that doesn’t mean we’re not careful. An animal like an angry trapped raccoon, possum, or groundhog can do some extremely serious damage to the human being who’s letting it out of its trap. But usually, in our experience, when one of these animals sees the door open, it’ll run like hell and never look back. And sometimes, we’ll open a trap’s door and the animal will just freeze and not move for a while. But in the end, when it finally does move, it’ll run faster than it ever has before!
JS: Is Michiana Wildlife Removal & Repair available for emergency capture and removal situations?
MO: Yes, we definitely do emergency removal and relocation, and we do it pretty much anytime. We’ll usually get an emergency call when an animal has made its way inside the living space of a home or business. In emergency cases, we try to get to the site as soon as possible for the customer’s sake AND the animal’s sake.
JS: Your business isn’t just concerned with humane wildlife removal and relocation: the word “repair” is in your company’s name. I know you mentioned “exclusion” as a type of alteration you do to a property to prevent animals from getting in, but I’m still curious about the “repair” part of your business identity. What types of repairs do you do, and what kinds of preemptive, “exclusion” measures do you implement for customers in order to prevent wildlife invasions before they happen?
JE: So, the “repair” and “exclusion” are really both pieces of the same part of the business, and that part is a big one. Each type of animal has its own specific tendencies in terms of how and in what particular places it will enter a home or a building. In the case of some of the homes we work on, there are actually multiple types of critters getting in. It can be really overwhelming for the homeowner. What we offer is a permanent solution to stop all animals from entering using physical barriers. First, to make sure that any animals already in the house get out and don’t come back in, we use a combination of live traps and “one way doors.” A one way door is really ingenious and really simple. It allows an animal to come out of the structure, but doesn’t allow it to reenter. We place these when dealing with critters like squirrels, and they’re positioned over a current entry point. We leave the one way door in place long enough to give the animal time to exit, then we return and remove the one way door and permanently seal up the access point, whether it’s a hole, or a gap, or crack. We seal up each and every opening on the exterior of the home that an animal could possibly use, or has used to enter or reenter. We’ll repair and seal any and all possible entrance points from the structure’s roofline to its foundation. This includes any necessary replacing or repairing of siding, soffit, or fascia. We also do light roof repairs in spots where animals have caused damage. We remove and replace attic insulation that’s been damaged by animal feces and urine. We carefully inspect the home or business and identify weak spots. We do deck and sunroom exclusions by first removing any present nuisance wildlife, and then making the necessary alterations or repairs to prevent the critters from getting underneath structures and causing damage from below. In some cases, customers will already have a specific area or areas of the home in mind that they suspect might cause future wildlife entry issues, and they’ll have us “harden up” these areas to prevent animals from ever entering. Also, and this is really important, all of our exclusion and repair work is guaranteed for one year after it’s completed.
JS: Last question, guys. Do you have to think like a wild animal in order to effectively trap, remove, and relocate one?
MO: Great question! Yes, you definitely have to think like an animal in order to anticipate his or her next move. Animals in general are a lot smarter than people give them credit for. Once you understand their habits, it then becomes easier to deal with them. All animals leave a trace of themselves behind – almost like a secret message. You just need to know what to look for to understand it.
If you’re here in the Michigan/Indiana area, and you find yourself in need of some very humane wildlife removal and relocation services, Mark O’Donnell and Joe Emrick are your men, and Michiana Wildlife Removal & Repair, LLC is where you’ll find them. And here’s where you’ll find Michiana Wildlife Removal & Repair, LLC:
Michiana Wildlife Removal & Repair, LLC
155 Faulknor Street
Michigan City, IN 46360
Primary Telephone: (219) 448-3531
Secondary Telephone: (219) 210-5018
Email: michianawildliferemoval@gmail.com
Website: michianawildlife.com
Humane wildlife removal and relocation (not to mention repair), as it’s practiced by my friends Mark O’Donnell and Joe Emrick at Michiana Wildlife Removal & Repair, LLC, is informed by both science and empirical, hands-on, practical experience. And, for these two incredibly hardworking wild animal admirers, it’s also a lifestyle. For the very best and absolutely the most humane wildlife removal and relocation (and effective repair), reach out to these guys. As they like to say, they’ll put nature in its place. And they’ll do it responsibly, respectfully, diligently, and, of course, humanely.
My many thanks go to Mark O’Donnell and Joe Emrick for their great work on my own property, and, of course, for all the time they’ve taken to answer my questions. And, my dear readers and subscribers, I thank you for not only your interest in the finer points of humane wildlife removal and relocation, but for your continued kindness and readership right here in The RGG.
Cheers, and Happy Gardening!
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John, we’ve spoken about how this team has helped you with your own garden visitors, but, WOW, these men are amazing! It’s great to know their company exists and that they really walk the talk. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for reading the interview, Tina, and for commenting. I do agree with you. They’re amazing. I’ve seen these guys in action – it’s a difficult job, and Mark and Joe carry it out with the utmost compassion for the animals and respect for their customers. Thanks again, Tina!
Thank you very much for the interview John!! It looks awesome!! You have done a great job showing everyone what we are all about at Michiana Wildlife Removal & Repair. We’re honored to be featured on Your website! I’m sure everyone will enjoy the read. Thank you again!
It’s been a total pleasure and a complete honor interviewing you both, Joe, and featuring your excellent company here in The Renaissance Garden Guy. The work you do is amazing, and both you and Mark are total gentlemen. Once again, Joe, it’s been an absolute pleasure. Thank you.
Thanks, John – it was great working with you!!!
We really appreciate the article and the kind words about our company from the bottom of our hearts – we truly do!!!
Well, Mark, I can tell you that it was an absolute pleasure working with you guys on the article, and it was fascinating learning about the company, what you guys do, and how you do it. You’ve got a great company with high ethical and moral standards, and a deep respect for the wildlife with which we share the planet. And, you definitely get results. I’m grateful to both Joe and you for all of the time you spent helping me get the article together, and, as I mentioned, it was an absolute pleasure working with you. You’re both true gentlemen, through and through.
Great interview. I learned about relocating squirrels when my kids were 2 & 4. We lived in Denver near City Park. Lots and lots of squirrels. I didn’t mind them until they started chewing through our plastic trash cans. Then they started harassing the kids in the backyard when they were having a snack. Those squirrels got a little too bold.
My husband (now ex) got a live trap and caught a squirrel. He drove it to a park in another neighborhood. In just two days there was a squirrel in the backyard and the girls were crying. I told him I thought it was the same squirrel. He said I was crazy (hence he’s the ex). He did agree to prove to me that it was not the same animal. He gave it a shot of blue spray paint on its tail. Took it to the other park. Within 2 days the squirrel with the blue tail was back.
I went to the library (no internet yet back then) and looked up squirrel behavior. What do you know? They are territorial. In order to relocate them, a distance of 5 miles or more must be considered for the move. He took them to a park 10 miles away and we never saw that squirrel again. It was nearly a month until another couple of squirrels showed up. They were not as aggressive. The kids ate their snacks inside.
When it came to dividing assets, I let him have the live trap.
Great story, Lane! My two interview subjects, Mark and Joe, actually filled me in on the territorial habits of, among a number of other common wildlife “visitors,” squirrels. I think that these animals’ homing instincts and capabilities are remarkable – even admirable. Your story, however, underscores perfectly the reason(s) that so many of these creatures can become a serious nuisance. Or, as was the case of your blue-tailed squirrel, a potential danger.
Thank you for reading the piece, Lane, and for sharing your story. As any animal lover who reads The Renaissance Garden Guy will most likely agree, it’s comforting to know that so many of these animals can be relocated, and can live out their days safely away from human contact. Thanks once again, Lane!
Very interesting… enjoyed very much.
Relocating animals is a kind and humane thing to do♥️
Thank you for reading the interview, Roxxy. I do agree with you – respecting nature and all of its gifts is critically important, and it’s the motivating factor behind this company’s wildlife removal and relocation activities. This is a very responsible and conscientious company. Thank you again, Roxxy.
This was a very interesting article. Joe and Mark are real animal lovers who really seem interested in the animal’s best interest as well as the best interest of the property owner. It is great to know there are people out there who will perform this work in such a humane way.
Thank you for reading it and commenting, Kevin. There’s definitely a fine line that needs to be walked when engaging in this kind of work. Each animal’s well-being is critically important, but satisfying the customer and keeping the business alive and growing are obviously critical objectives, as well. These gentlemen have found a way to ensure the health and safety of the animals they remove and relocate, and keep their customers very happy. This is really a great company. Thank you again, Kevin.
Thanks for sharing this John! So nice to have a company devoted to the care of wildlife nearby. This is always a tricky situation because we all want to coexist with nature. It is so nice to know that there are people out there who really care about how to make it a win for both sides…gardener & wildlife. I will use them as a model if the need ever arises in my area. Happy gardening! 😊☀️🪴
Thank you for reading the interview, Christina, and thank you for commenting here. You’re absolutely right. There are always going to be human and wildlife interactions, and they’ll more than likely occur with greater and greater frequency. The successful resolution of these interactions – for both wildlife and humans – is entirely dependent on the skill, diligence, and compassion of the wildlife removal/relocation entity. This particular company’s philosophy and methodology would serve as an excellent benchmark and standard for comparison for others, living in other parts of the country, in need of these services. Thanks once again, Christina.
Great to hear that there are humane animal relocation companies available.
Thanks for reading this one, Rick. I agree. For those who’d never want to harm an animal, but don’t want to tolerate some of a particular creature’s more destructive habits, humane removal and relocation is the solution. This company, and the gentlemen behind it, do an excellent job. I was very fortunate to have found them. Thanks again, Rick.