Pet owners having skunk problems
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Pet owners having skunk problems
If you're seeing an increase in skunks in our area, you're not the only one.You may be noticing an increase in skunks in our area.
One pet owner we spoke with says his show dog has been sprayed three times in the past three months.
“We try to keep her groomed at least three out of four weeks; however, the skunk spray is hard to get out of the chow’s fur,“ Chris Nininger said.
With the help of Blue Ridge Wildlife, Nininger has set up traps all around his yard.
“They bait them with apples and peanut butter,“ Nininger said.
Experts we spoke with say people in our area may be seeing more and more skunks because of the drought. The dry conditions are causing many animals, not just skunks, to leave their natural habitat looking for food.
The fruit trees in Nininger’s backyard are very appealing to small animals, but things like pet food and garbage cans are also skunk magnets.
So how do you get rid of the smell if it’s stuck on your animal?
Here’s a remedy from a local animal expert:
- 2 quarts of hydrogen peroxide
- 1 tsp. of dishwashing liquid
- 1 box of baking soda
Mix those ingredients together and leave them on your animal for about 15 minutes. You can also add a little bit of fabric softener to the mix if you so choose.
We’d like to hear from you. What’s your recommendation when it comes to getting rid of the skunk smell? Feel free to leave us a message.
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Another possible solution to the skunk problem would be to lure them back to where they came from. Provide them with a food source away from your yard and they will go there instead. In addition to peanut butter, (the preferred food of many animals) skunks also love eggs, honey, and dry cat food.
Skunks are inoffensive creatures until cornered and are an important part of the ecology. Given a choice, they would choose to avoid dogs, so give them that choice.
I had the peroxide/detergent/baking soda recipe in my “home remedy” file and had the unpleasant opportunity to try it just last night when our springer spaniel was “skunked”. The mixture worked beautifully and there was absolutely no odor left. HOWEVER, the peroxide did bleach Paddie’s coat, so now instead of a liver and white springer, we have a white and dirty blond springer! I would highly recommend the mix for the odor, but certainly not for a show dog!
We have had the unfortunate “skunked” dogs. The tomato juice or tomato products did not work for us. We purchased a special shampoo formulated to remove the skunk smell at Pet Smart and it worked great.
My husband and I have seen a vast increase in skunks here in SW Roanoke County. Our rat terrier dogs have been hit numerously and recently twice in one week with many precautions in place. Even though we have a chainlinked fenced yard, which does not deter the skunk at all, we are in the process of building a courtyard with a privacy fence for their (and our) protection during skunk hours. The rinse solution reported by WSLS is the only one recommended that helps to completely remove this horribly offensive odor. It is worth repeating. If skunks are a problem and a carrier of rabies then why are they not better controlled? Thank you.
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