How to Handle Wildlife and Pests

If a bat made physical contact with a person or was found indoors where people and pets may live, capture or confine the bat and call 608-255-2345 for pick up and testing. In addition to obvious physical contact, an unattended child or an incapacitated or sleeping person in a room with a bat should also be assumed to have had physical contact with the bat. See instructions for capture below.

If the bat is found after normal business hours (between 6:30 pm and 8 am or on the weekend), capture or confine it and call 608-255-2345 after 8 am the following weekday. See instructions for capture below.

If the bat is outdoors in a public area where it could have contact with humans or pets, leave the bat alone or safely move it to a bush or tree. If the bat is in the same area the next weekday after 8 am, call dispatch at 608-255-2345 and ask for Animal Services.

If there is no chance the bat had contact with people or pets, safely capture and release the bat outdoors or contact a pest control company that handles bat removal. If you have additional concerns, contact Animal Services during normal business hours to discuss. Contact can be made either through dispatch 608-255-2345, by calling and leaving a message at 608-267-1989, or emailing PHAnimalServices@publichealthmdc.com.

How To Capture or Confine a Bat

• Do not hit or crush the bat. It needs to be intact for rabies testing
• Wait for the bat to land if it is flying
• Place a small box or container over the bat
• Slide something thin like a magazine or piece of cardboard between the wall and the container so that the bat is trapped. Secure whatever you used with tape to the top of the container or replace with a lid so the bat cannot escape.
• If the bat is on the ground, place a box or container over the bat as noted above. The bat can remain contained on the ground until Animal Services is able to pick it up during business hours. You may want to put something heavy on top of the container so the bat cannot wiggle out from underneath it.
• Make sure the container you use to hold the bat has small air holes so the animal does not suffocate.

If these instructions have not helped you capture the bat, please call dispatch at 608-255-2345 and ask for further assistance.

Every spring, there are situations where ducklings get into problematic situations like falling into sewers or becoming stranded on roofs. Below are some ways you can help reunite ducklings with their mothers.

• Before catching any ducklings, make sure you have a secure container to put them in. Ducklings are able to jump, so make sure the container has tall sides or is enclosed. If you immediately let one duckling go with their mother, she will likely leave the rest of the ducklings before you can rescue the last of the group.
• Using a fishing or butterfly net to gently collect the ducklings is ideal, but they can also be caught by hand. Contrary to popular belief, mom will not reject the babies if you touch them. The babies see you as a predator – please do not play with or excessively handle them and wear gloves if you can.
• If the ducklings are hiding in bushes or in a sewer, playing a recording of ducklings peeping or a mother duck calling for them will often help draw them out to a place they can be caught.
• If the mother duck flies away or is gone when you find the ducklings, contain them and keep them close to the area. Usually, the ducklings’ peeps will draw mom back and you can reunite them. If the ducklings were found on a roof, walk them to the ground level and wait to see if mom will hear them and return.
• Once mom returns, release the ducklings from the container and let her walk away with them. While it's tempting to take the ducklings to a body of water, the mother duck needs to take them to a specific place or risk being attacked by other ducks from outside her territory.
• Please do not offer any food or water to the babies - doing so can have deadly consequences.

If you cannot reunite the ducklings with their mother, call the Dane County Humane Society Wildlife Center at 608-287-3235.

Visit the Dane County Humane Society page for information about reuniting baby animals with their mothers.

Public Health Madison & Dane County Animal Services is not licensed to remove wildlife. We cannot have raccoons in our vehicles due to potential disease transmission to the dogs and cats we transport.

Animal Services should be notified via 608-255-2345 if:

• The raccoon bit a person or domestic animal.
• The raccoon poses a legitimate risk to human health or safety.

Seeing raccoons out during the daytime or in a populated area is not a cause for concern. Healthy wildlife should be left alone or encouraged to move along by using the following techniques:

• Remove potential food sources such as open garbage cans, bird feeders and pet food bowls.
• Keep buildings raccoon-proof by securing access to holes and broken windows. Keep chimneys closed with appropriate materials (hardware cloth, commercial cap, etc.).
• Repel raccoons by making noise, using bright lights, or placing strong-smelling material in the area the raccoon is in.
• Trim trees so they don’t overhang your roof, prune overgrown bushes, and remove or elevate woodpiles.
• Contact a pest control company to have the animal removed.
• Please do not offer any food or water to raccoons. Doing so can have deadly consequences.

Sick Raccoons 

When a raccoon is seen walking in circles, being lethargic, or letting people get unusually close to it, people often assume the animal has rabies. In Wisconsin, it is most likely not rabies, but a disease called distemper that causes the symptoms above. Distemper is often fatal to raccoons and there are no wildlife rehabbers that will accept a raccoon in this condition. Unfortunately, if a raccoon is showing obvious signs of illness they usually need to be put down on site by Police or Deputies or removed and euthanized by a pest control professional.

If you have tried the techniques listed above and the raccoon is unable or unwilling to leave a populated area, please call dispatch and ask for law enforcement to respond.

Orphaned Wild Animals

• A young animal's best chance for survival is always with their mother. Visit the Dane County Humane Society for information about reuniting baby animals with their mothers.
• Please do not offer any food or water to baby animals. Doing so can have deadly consequences. The babies see you as a predator, so please do not play with or excessively handle them.
• A mother will not abandon her babies because you touched them. You should still handle them as little as possible, and wear gloves while doing so. The mother will return to retrieve her babies if she is able.

Healthy Wildlife on Your Property

Please call a private pest control service. Pest control companies are licensed to remove or relocate healthy wildlife and can help you determine how to keep the problem from recurring.

If you're dealing with a coyote, watch our video How to Haze a Coyote  to learn how to safely coexist with coyotes. It tells you how to haze, or scare away, coyotes so they do not feel comfortable being around humans.

Nuisance Wildlife

Check the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources website to learn what you can do to deal with nuisance wildlife.

Sick, Injured, or Orphaned Wildlife

• Dane County Humane Society Wildlife Center: 608-287-3235
• Wisconsin WildCare: 608-237-7060
• DNR Call Center (7 days a week): 888-936-7463
• DNR Wildlife Hotline (Monday through Friday): 608-267-0866

Wildlife Issues in Parks

• Parks (Madison): 608-266-4711
• Parks (Dane County): 608-224-3730 or email dane-parks@countyofdane.com 

Dead Wildlife on Your Property

• If you live in the city of Madison, Wisconsin: Complete a dead animal collection request form.
• If you live outside the city of Madison, in Dane County, Wisconsin: Contact your local municipality.

Dead Wildlife on City of Madison Property

• City Engineering: 608-266-4430

We investigate reports of bed bug infestations in apartment and rental units and in hotels and motels.

• Apartments & Rental Units: Ask your landlord to hire a pest control company. If your landlord won’t deal with the problem, call your local building inspector. For the City of Madison Building Inspection Office, call 608-266-4551. If there is no Building Inspector in your area, call us at 608-242-6515.
• Hotels & Motels: Call us at 608-242-6515.
• Home you own: Contact a Pest Control Company familiar with treating bed bugs.

Learn More & Resources

• Bed Bugs in Wisconsin: Frequently Asked Questions, WI DATCP
• About Bed Bugs, CDC
• Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Bed Bugs in Shelters and Group Living Facilities, Cornell University, New York State Integrated Pest Management Program

Visit our Mosquitoes & Ticks webpage for:

• Data dashboards
• Dane County trends in mosquito and tick illnesses
• Mosquito and tick bite prevention tips

• We investigate reports of rat infestations and provide information to tenants, property owners, and neighborhoods on dealing with rat and mouse infestations.
• When needed, we issue orders to property owners to correct issues that are contributing to rat and mouse problems.

What is an Infestation?

• Daytime sighting: Seeing a rat during the day is a sign of a large population, or overcrowding, as they are typically nocturnal and prefer to stay hidden.
• Foraging Trails: Visible paths appear as flattened or disturbed vegetation where rats travel between their burrows and food sources.
• Burrow holes: These are holes in the ground, typically 2-4 inches in diameter, with smooth walls and loose dirt around the entrance. These are often found near foundations, compost bins, dense vegetation, or under decking. Burrows can also be found near clutter, woodpiles, or garbage bins. Rats like when they can burrow where they have cover and are near food.
• Garden damage: Partially eaten garden produce and snail shells may be signs rats are foraging in your garden.

How to Prevent a Rat or Mouse Infestation

• Rats and mice are not only a nuisance, they also cause property damage and disease. Getting rid of food and places to live is the key to keeping your home, business, and neighborhood rat/mouse free.
• Watch our video, Protect Your Home From Rats. It explains how to make sure your property is not friendly to rats and mice.

If You Have an Infestation

• Give our staff a call at 608-242-6515 if you have a rat infestation, a problem with rats in your neighborhood, and/or live near a property with garbage or food accumulation that may attract rats.
• If you plan to use rodenticides, follow these guidelines:
  • Do not place bait in areas that are accessible to or near food sources for pets, wild animals, or children.
  • Do not apply bait directly into burrows—instead place these at the entrance or use cover over burrow to prevent accidental exposure by other animals or children.
  • Do not leave bait in areas that are not well monitored, like basements or attics.
  • Do not use glue traps, which are inhumane.
• Consider other ways to address the infestation:
  • Consider snap traps or electronic zappers for indoor rodent control.
  • Encourage rodent predators, like owls, to your property by installing owl nesting boxes.
  • Call a professional! Hire one who specializes in pest management and does not use anticoagulant rodenticides.

Learn More & Resources

• How to Seal Up to Prevent Rodents, CDC