The Myth of the 'Happy Farm': Why Relocation is Hard on Wildlife

HWCS Expert Team

When a homeowner traps a raccoon, they often imagine driving it 10 miles away to a nice patch of woods and releasing it to live happily ever after. In wildlife biology, we call this “dumping,” and the survival rate is surprisingly low.

The Harsh Reality of Relocation

1. Territory Wars

Animals are territorial. The “nice woods” you found is likely already occupied by other raccoons. When you drop a new male into that territory, he will be attacked and chased away by the dominant resident.

2. Starvation and Disorientation

Animals learn their home territory intimately—they know where the water is, where the food is, and where to hide from predators. When you drop them in a strange place, they don’t know the landscape. Many relocated animals die of starvation or are hit by cars while frantically trying to find their way home.

3. Spreading Disease

Moving animals spreads disease. If you trap a raccoon in an area with a high rate of rabies or distemper and move it to a clean area, you have just introduced a biological weapon to a healthy population. For this reason, many states legally prohibit relocating high-risk species like raccoons and skunks.

The Better Way: Eviction on Site

At HWCS, our goal is to keep the animal in its known territory but out of your house.

  • One-Way Doors: We let the animal walk out of your attic.
  • Result: The raccoon stays in the neighborhood (its territory). It knows where the storm drains and trees are. It simply learns that your attic is no longer an option and moves to one of its backup dens.

This approach minimizes stress on the animal, prevents disease spread, and solves your problem permanently without a death sentence for the wildlife.