Bat Removal Southern Ontario | Humane & Legal Service

Finding a bat in your house or hearing scratching in your attic can be an unsettling experience. In Southern Ontario, from the historic homes of Hamilton and St. Catharines to the newer developments in Oakville and Burlington, bats are a common but complex wildlife issue. Unlike other pests, bats are protected under Ontario’s Endangered Species Act, meaning removal requires a specialized, legal, and highly technical approach.

At City Wildlife Control, we are experts in professional bat exclusion. We provide humane solutions for homeowners in Hamilton, Burlington, St. Catherine's, Oakville, Brantford, Beamsville, and Niagara, ensuring your home is bat-free while respecting the vital role these mammals play in our ecosystem.

Inspect and Secure Your Property

Safely Remove the Animal & Clean Up

Prevent any further issues

Our Little Friend

Bat Removal

Signs of a Bat Infestation in Your Attic

Bats are nocturnal and experts at squeezing through gaps as small as a dime. Homeowners in the Golden Horseshoe should look for these specific indicators:

The "Exit Show": At dusk, you may see bats flying out from under a roof shingle, a chimney, or a gable vent.
Guano (Bat Droppings): Found on exterior walls, windowsills, or in the attic. Bat guano looks like dark grains of rice and crumbles into dust when touched (unlike mouse droppings, which are hard).
High-Pitched Chirping: While often silent, you may hear vocalizations behind walls or in the ceiling, especially on hot summer evenings.
Staining: Dark, oily rub marks around small entry points near the roofline, caused by the oils in the bats' fur.

Why You Need Professional Bat Removal

Bats are unique among Ontario wildlife. Attempting to "DIY" bat removal can lead to heavy fines and health risks.

1. Legal Protection and "Maternity Season"

In Ontario, many bat species (like the Little Brown Myotis) are endangered. It is illegal to harm them or to perform exclusion work during the "Maternity Season" (typically June and July), when flightless pups are in the roost. City Wildlife Control strictly follows Ontario Ministry regulations to ensure all removals are legal and ethical.

2. Health Risks: Histoplasmosis and Rabies

The primary concern with bats is guano. If bat droppings accumulate in your attic, they can grow a fungus that causes Histoplasmosis, a serious respiratory infection in humans. Furthermore, while the incidence is low, bats are a known vector for Rabies. If a bat is found in a bedroom or near a sleeping child, professional testing and medical advice are mandatory.

3. Attic Damage

Over time, bat urine and guano can saturate insulation and drywall. This leads to structural odours and a decrease in your home's energy efficiency. Our team provides full attic restoration for homes in Hamilton, Burlington, St. Catherine's, Oakville, Brantford, Beamsville, and Niagara.

What you should know

BAT-RELATED CONCERNS AND DISEASES

Here are the main problems you may encounter when dealing with a bat

Bat Nesting

Bats, depending on the species, tend to reside either in your attic or in your walls. There are two species of bat that can infest your residence – Little Brown Bats and Big Brown Bats.

Damage to Property

Bats can damage heating/cooling systems in the attic

Watch out for the bites

Don't handle bats unless you are trained in handling them, are using appropriate personal equipment and are vaccinated against rabies.

Carrying some unexpected friends

3-5 % of bats found in homes test positive for rabies. Bats have very small teeth, so bits may go undetected

Some unwanted surprises

Bat guano has been linked to histoplasmosis, a very serious lung infection

Bats hanging out

Bat guano raises moisture content in the attic, encouraging wood rot. Guano and urine build up over time, causing odours and attracting insects.

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Our Professional Bat Exclusion Process

We do not use traps or chemicals. Our method is based on the biology of the bat to ensure they leave voluntarily and cannot return.

The Multi-Point Inspection

Bats can enter through gaps only 6mm wide. We inspect your entire roofline, including the ridge caps, soffit-wall junctions, and chimney flashing. We service all types of architecture, from Niagara’s vineyard estates to Burlington’s modern suburban homes.

One-Way Bat Valves

We install professional one-way bat valves over the active entry points. These devices allow the bats to drop out and fly away at night to feed, but prevent them from landing and re-entering the structure.

Total Home Sealing

While the valves are in place, we seal every other potential gap on your house with high-grade silicone caulking, weather stripping, and stainless steel mesh. This ensures the bats don't simply move to the other side of your roof.

Decontamination and Restoration

Once we are 100% certain the colony has relocated, we remove the valves and finalize the seal. We then offer professional cleanup services to remove guano and replace contaminated insulation, making your home safe for your family again.

Serving the Golden Horseshoe and Niagara Peninsula

City Wildlife Control is the trusted name for bat exclusion across Southern Ontario:

Hamilton & Stoney Creek: Specialized in removing bats from older brick homes and chimneys.
Burlington & Oakville: Providing discreet, high-efficiency exclusion for residential neighbourhoods.
St. Catharines & Niagara Falls: Serving both urban homes and rural properties near the Escarpment.
Brantford & Beamsville: Expert solutions for bats in barns, sheds, and large residential estates.

FAQs

Can I just wait until winter for the bats to leave?

In Ontario, big brown bats often hibernate inside buildings rather than migrating. Waiting may not solve the problem, and the colony will likely grow in size by the following spring.

Do you use pesticides or "bat spray"?

No. There are no registered pesticides for bats in Canada. Using chemicals is illegal, ineffective, and dangerous to your family. Exclusion is the only permanent, legal solution.

How much does bat removal cost?

Bat removal cost varies based on the size of the home and the number of entry points that need sealing. Because bats require a "whole-house" seal to be effective, we provide detailed on-site quotes.

CONTACT US

Our goal when I created CWC over 20+ years ago was the same as it is today: to provide the best possible animal and pest control company in the marketplace through these company mission goals. We serve throughout Hamilton, Burlington, St. Catherine's, Oakville, Brantford, Beamsville, Niagara‍ and beyond. ‍

1. Best possible customer service in the market
2. Best possible prices in the market
3. Best possible humane removal of wildlife in the market.

To this day, we strive to meet each of these goals with every customer we have the pleasure of working with. I give you my word.

Dan Adamson - Owner