Question
Hello.  Today we saw pigeons going into a hole in the side of our house into the attic.  We have a very tall house here in Tempe, AZ and I don't want my husband to climb up there because it is dangerous.  What kind of professional can I call to get rid of the birds and then cover the hole for us?  Thanks, Mary

Answer
Finding a Professional

However, there are a number of ways for you to obtain a professional.
1. To find a professional, visit http://www.icwdm.org/VendorsService/default.asp
2. Read up on tips on finding a qualified one. Links are on that page. There are lots of people who think they are qualified, but when you interview them with our questions you will discover they aren抰.
3. Read up on the control methods for managing the problem you have. This way you can better understand what the contractor is doing or should be doing.  
4. We list NWCO抯 but understand that our listing is NOT an endorsement. Be sure to interview any potential candidate according to our questions to reduce your risk of hiring unqualified people.

5. If your state doesn抰 have any NWCO抯 listed, then look under the Yellow Pages under the headings of animals or wildlife or pest control. It would be important to properly identify quality animal damage controllers. At minimum you should look into licenses (ask your Dept. of Natural Resources if one is required in your state), insurance liability and workman's comp, years of experience and what associations they belong to.  You will probably do better if the person answers that they belong to National Wildlife Control Operators Assoc. see http://www.nwcoa.com   as this is the association dedicated to wildlife control rather than the National Pest Management Assoc. which mainly has pest controllers which deal with bugs. Membership is no guarantee of quality but it at least means they care enough about the industry to join. Certainly there are quality companies who belong to the NPMA as well and even companies that belong to no association at all. So it isn't necessarily a deal breaker. But you do want to find out if wildlife is their main business or just a side line. Ask about guarantees as well.  Controlling skunks in the situation you describe isn't difficult with the right equipment.

Hope this helps. Again, feel free to contact me if you need more information. Thanks for visiting the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management.

We would love to get feed back on how your experience was. [email protected]

Disclaimer: As with any activity, remember that animal damage control comes with its own risks and problems which can include but are not limited to legalities, health threats, and personal liabilities. Be sure to follow all state laws governing wildlife and make sure you have a thorough understanding on how to resolve the animal damage complaint. My advice is only as good as your understanding of me and my understanding of your situation. If you have any questions be sure to write back.