In Florida, sometimes you have to deal with severe weather. Even though Florida is known as the Sunshine State, there are frequent thunderstorms with heavy winds and risks of flooding. Additionally, from June to November, it is hurricane season.
When natural disasters, like tropical storms or hurricanes, occur, you might notice displaced wildlife. Trees might fall over, disturbing nests and burrows. Flying debris can make it unsafe for animals to remain out in the open.
Because of the dangers displaced animals experience during storms, sometimes they seek shelter in what they perceive to be a safe place. Unfortunately, they might look at your home and see a structure that could protect them from danger, like debris and other predators.
Allowing animals into your home could put companion animals or pets like dogs and cats at risk of being harmed or coming down with a sickness.
If you are trying to keep wildlife out of your house during a storm, there are a few steps you should take. You’ll need to address any structural damage that allows animals to enter your home, remove attractants like food or water sources, use repellents and deterrents, and call a professional wildlife removal company.
Why Do Storms Cause Wild Animals to Seek Shelter in Homes?
Climate change is making severe storms more common, especially when you live in a hurricane-prone area like Florida. When you combine strong winds with flooding and flying debris, it’s easy to see why displaced wildlife go out in search of a safer shelter. Small mammals like rats, mice, rabbits, squirrels, and reptiles like snakes are all known to enter homes during disasters.
If you have companion animals or pets like cats and dogs, they might be in danger if displaced wildlife enters your home. For example, wild animals can carry diseases that pets and other small animals are susceptible to contracting.
Because of this, you should always do your best to prevent wild animals from entering your home during a storm. The first step is understanding what causes them to try to enter your house.
Displacement and Seeking Protection
Natural disasters and severe weather cause a variety of dangers to wildlife. Flooding can lead to drowning, especially among animals that burrow. Even further, flying objects from heavy winds can make it unsafe for animals to be out in the open.
Because of the risks associated with storms, wildlife might begin looking for a new emergency shelter until the weather dies down. While animals usually avoid humans, in their state of panic, they might choose your home for shelter without realizing a human lives there.
Looking for New Food and Water Sources
When wildlife is looking for a new shelter during a natural disaster or storm, they need to find a place with adequate water and food sources. Human homes often have pet food bowls on the floor, non-perishable food items in cupboards, and yummy smells coming from the kitchen. If a wild animal notices the smell of food coming from your home, they might be tempted to make it their emergency shelter.
Even further, if rain is collecting on a tarp outside of your home, the animal might view that as a potential water source. Finding a fully secure structure with food and water sources during severe weather is a huge score for wild animals, so they will be incredibly interested in your property.
Instinctual Behaviors
Some types of animals are sensitive to changes in atmospheric pressure, causing them to move to a safer shelter out of instinct. Even further, animals who are displaced might seek familiar-looking environments, causing them to view human homes as a good place to shelter during bad weather.
Can You Prevent Displaced Animals From Coming Inside During Severe Weather?
If you want to prevent animals from coming inside after a storm, there are some precautions you need to take. First, you should make sure that your home does not have any entry points that would allow an animal to come in. Even the smallest of holes could be exacerbated by the bad weather, allowing an animal to burrow into your house.
Additionally, if your companion animals have pet doors that allow them to freely exit and enter the home, other animals could use those entry points to make up residence in your home. In other words, seal up dog and cat doors before storms begin.
Other tips for preventing animals from entering your home during or after a natural disaster include:
- Repair or seal openings caused by the weather
- Seal windows and doors that might have cracks
- Trim trees and shrubs that make it easier for animals to hide near your home
- Store all of your food and pet food in rodent-proof containers
- Secure your trash cans
- Remove any standing water
- Use motion-activated sprinklers or lights to scare animals away from your home
- Use insect repellent
- Contact a wildlife removal expert to trap any animals that have entered your home
Get Connected to a Wildlife Removal Service
If an animal has entered your home to shelter from severe weather, you’ll need to get them out as quickly as possible. They can spread diseases to pets like dogs and cats, putting your family at risk. Thankfully, Nuisance Wildlife Rangers is here to protect your family and remove animals without harming them in the process.
Whether animals have entered your home due to cold weather or a hurricane, we can trap them, remove them, and relocate them to a safer spot. Many animals enter homes to seek refuge from summer and winter storms, however, we understand the importance of keeping them in the wild where they belong.
At Nuisance Wildlife Rangers, we can trap and relocate snakes, fish, birds, and small mammals while keeping your companion animals or pets inside safely.
Contact Nuisance Wildlife Rangers today for more information on how we can remove animals from your home that were displaced during heavy rains, cold weather, flooding, and more.
