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By-laws and Animal Services

HomeBy-laws and Animal ServicesWildlife
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Wildlife

The City of Burlington is home to wildlife in both rural and urban areas. Learn what to do when you come across a wild animal, how to coexist with wildlife and how to keep your children and pets safe.

Avoid attracting wildlife

Feeding wildlife, whether on purpose or by accident, such as squirrels, racoons, deer and rabbits can create issues for your whole neighbourhood and harm wild animals. Feeding wildlife can create:

  • Change in habitat and migration patterns in wildlife
  • Wildlife that depend on human handouts to survive
  • Health problems for wild animals
  • Wildlife overpopulation and neighbourhoods becoming overrun with wildlife
  • A fine and/or summons for you under the City's Lot Maintenance Bylaw (49-2022)

Wildlife should be kept wild. Wild animals don't need our help to find food and we should not try to make them into backyard pets.

Even if you aren't feeding wildlife, there are still many food sources that attract wild animals to our neighbourhoods. You can help wildlife-proof your property by taking care of these common problem areas.

Barbeques

Always clean grease and food residue from barbecue grills, including the grease cup underneath, after each use.

Bird feeders

While it's okay to feed birds with bird feeders, they can also attract other types of nuisance wildlife. Here are some ways you can avoid attracting wildlife other than birds:

  • Do not allow a large amount of bird seed to stay on your lawn
  • Fill bird feeders only through the winter months
  • If you are experiencing a wildlife nuisance, do not use bird feeders at all

Composters and garbage

Food waste in composters and garbage often attract wildlife. Here are some storage and disposal tips to keep wildlife at bay:

  • Do not put meat, fish or sweet food, including fruit, in your outdoor composter
  • Frequently wash garbage cans and recycling containers and lids with vinegar or a strong-smelling disinfectant
  • If you do not have curbside pickup, take your garbage to the dump often
  • Put garbage and compost containers out on the morning of garbage day, not the night before
  • Use rodent-proof composters, and put garbage in containers that have tight-fitting bear-resistant lids

Fruit trees and bushes

Here are some ways you can avoid attracting wildlife to your property if you have fruit trees and bushes:

  • Avoid landscaping with trees, shrubs or plants that produce food known to attract bears (such as crab apple trees, mountain ash, beech and oak)
  • Pick all ripe fruit from trees and bushes and pick up all rotten fruit off the ground

Protecting your pets and livestock from wildlife

Wild animals like coyotes can pose a serious threat to small pets and livestock. Here are some ways you can help protect your pets and livestock.

  • Clean up after your dog as many animals are attracted to dog waste
  • Do not leave your pets outside by themselves
  • Keep cats indoors
  • Keep chickens, rabbits, and other small animals in covered enclosures made from heavy mesh wire
  • Keep pet food and water bowls indoors
  • Keep your dog on a leash when off your property
  • Spray and neuter your pets as animals can be attracted to them in heat
  • Vaccinate your pets regularly

Rabies

Rabies is a contagious and fatal disease. People can get rabies from infected pets, livestock and wildlife. Learn what to do if you or your pet has been bitten or scratched by an animal with rabies.

Common types of wildlife

If you find sick, injured or orphaned wildlife, please call Animal Services at 905-335-3030 or contact the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Learn some tips on how to coexist with the most common types of wildlife in Burlington.

Beavers

Beavers are usually found in forests and are protected and regulated by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. They may also move into non-forested areas, where waterways are bordered by trees or shrubs.  This can bring beavers into parks, green space or private properties where they may damage or cut down trees.

We do not lethally trap beavers. We can live trap and relocate beavers within one kilometre. Beavers are very territorial and will try to return to where they were captured, so permanent relocation is usually not possible.  

We suggest you wrap certain at-risk trees in a wire fabric for protection from beavers.

Only in very extreme circumstances, where there is a significant threat to public safety, would we consider other measures to address the issue.  

Learn more about beavers with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.

Black bears

A small number of bear sightings have been reported in semi-urban areas within Halton Region, specifically in Milton and Burlington. To learn about bears, how to prevent conflicts and what to do if you see a bear, check out Ontario's Bear Wise Program. If you see a bear, you can report it to the Bear Reporting Line at 1-866-514-2327. In a life-threatening emergency, call your local police or dial 9-1-1.

Canada geese

Although Canada geese are not usually hostile, geese that have become used to humans can be aggressive.

To keep geese away from your home or workplace, follow these tips:

  • Clean up seeds spilled from bird feeders
  • Do not feed them
  • Mow your lawn less frequently or plant coarse grass seed
  • Use flashing lights, air horns, sirens or lengths of shiny or bright materials tied in trees or on stakes in the backyard to scare them off. Mix up the locations of these items as geese will become used to them
  • Play a recording of coyotes or eagles or place models of coyotes and eagles in your yard to scare them

For more information on Canada geese, visit the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry or Environment Canada.

Coyotes

Learn more about living with coyotes and what you can do to deter coyotes from your property.

Foxes

Foxes have adapted well to city life as there is food and shelter and natural predators are limited. A healthy fox will not generally approach humans unless it has learned that humans supply food. If a fox approaches you, clap your hands or make a loud noise to scare it off.

If you see a fox growling and attempting to attack people, larger animals or inanimate objects, call Animal Services at 905-335-3030. Make sure other people and animals are safely away from the fox and if you can safely, observe it until Animal Control arrives.

To keep foxes away from your property:

  • Enclose areas under patio decks, sheds and other potential den sites. Do this by digging a trench around the base of the structure and installing heavy wire screening
  • In early spring, increase use and activity in back and side yards. Foxes are less comfortable denning in areas with high human activity

Pigeons

Large numbers of pigeons in one area can:

  • Speed up deterioration of buildings and vehicles
  • Create unsanitary play conditions for children
  • Spread fleas, ticks and mites

The best way to control pigeons is to remove food and shelter. You can discourage pigeons from coming to your property by:

  • Keeping areas free of food and animal droppings
  • Fixing broken windows and screens
  • Closing off access to attics
  • Using wire mesh, plastic netting, pull-down blinds or a commercial barrier to keep pigeons off balconies or ledges
  • Attaching tin flashing to ledges at an angle of at least 45 degrees to discourage pigeons from landing
  • Attaching stainless steel strips of needle like pieces (commercially available) to the top of all potential landing sites.
  • Stringing thin, stretched wire four centimetres above a roosting area to discourage pigeons from landing
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