Skunk removal cost in Ontario depends on where the skunk is denning, whether there are babies, whether the entry gets screened and sealed afterwards, how hard the spot is to reach, and whether there is spray odour to deal with. A quote that only covers getting the skunk out is not the same job as one that stops the next skunk from moving in.
This is the skunk chapter of our general wildlife removal cost guide, which covers every animal we handle. There is no number on this page, because a real number would be a guess. Two skunk jobs on the same street can be very different work: one is a single adult under a lattice deck, the other is a mother with kits under a concrete porch slab who sprayed when the dog found her.
What makes skunk removal cost more or less?
Skunks are poor climbers, so they almost never end up in attics the way a raccoon job usually does. They den low: under decks, sheds, porches, additions, and sometimes in window wells. That keeps the list of cost drivers fairly short, but each one matters.
Where the skunk is denning
The den location is the biggest single factor.
- Under a deck or shed. This is the most common spot and usually the most straightforward. Skirting or lattice can often be opened, the entry hole is easy to find, and there is room to work.
- Under a porch slab or an addition on a crawlspace. Here the skunk has dug beneath poured concrete or a shallow foundation. There may be only one narrow entry, no way to see inside, and no room to screen the perimeter without digging. More time, more care, higher cost.
- Window wells. A skunk that falls into a window well cannot climb out. This is usually a quick rescue rather than a den job, and it costs less.
One adult or a mother with kits
Kits arrive in late spring and early summer. If you hear scratching or chattering from more than one animal, or you see a skunk coming and going more often than usual, there is a good chance you have a family.
A family takes longer to deal with, and the timing matters. The humane approach is either to let the mother move the kits herself (a bit of light and disturbance near the den often does it), or to wait until the kits are mobile enough to follow her out through a one-way door. Rushing this step risks leaving kits behind, which is bad for the animals and for you.
So a family job usually means an extra visit or two, and it costs more than a single adult. The trade-off is that it is done properly, once.
One-way door or live trap
A one-way door is a hinged or spring-loaded flap fitted over the den entry. The skunk pushes out to feed at night and cannot get back in. It is calm, it works while you sleep, and the skunk simply moves to another den in its own territory.
A live trap is used where a door cannot work: for example, when the entry cannot be isolated, or when a skunk is inside a garage or shed with no defined hole. Trapping means checking the trap, handling a stressed animal, and driving it to a release point.
In Ontario, a trapped wild animal can only be relocated within 1 km of where it was caught. That is one more reason exclusion beats trapping: a skunk released 1 km away knows exactly where your deck is. Trapping generally adds labour and visits, so it sits higher on the cost scale than a one-way door.
Dig-proofing and sealing the entry
This is the part that cheap quotes leave out, and it is the part that stops the problem from coming back.
Once the skunk is out, the entry is closed and a buried screen is installed along the deck skirt or porch edge. The screen goes down into the soil and bends outward in an “L” shape, so the next skunk that tries to dig under hits wire and gives up. Without it, you have a ready-made den with a fresh opening, and skunks are very good at finding those.
How much dig-proofing adds depends on the length of skirting, the ground (sand versus packed gravel versus roots), and whether the deck is high enough to work under. It is the single most valuable line on a skunk quote, so if a quote does not mention it, ask why.
Access and site conditions
Two decks, same skunk, different bill. A deck with lattice panels that come off with a few screws is quick to open and screen. A porch poured straight onto the ground (slab-on-grade), a low deck sitting almost on the ground, a shed with no gap to crawl into, or a spot hemmed in by a fence and a neighbour’s garage all take longer and sometimes need digging or partial disassembly. Frozen ground slows everything down too, though skunk jobs are far more common from spring to fall.
Spray odour under the house
If the skunk sprayed under the deck or porch, the smell is a separate problem from the removal. Getting the skunk out does not get the odour out, and it is not part of a removal quote. Ask us about it and we will tell you honestly what can be done and whether it is something we handle.
If the smell is on your dog rather than under your house, that is a different problem, and we have a guide on how to get skunk smell off a dog.
Follow-up visits
A proper job is not finished when the door goes on. Someone has to come back, confirm the den is empty, remove the one-way door, and do the final seal. If there were kits, there may be one more check. Each visit is time and travel, so a quote that includes follow-up will read higher than one that does not. It is also the only way to know the animal is out before the entry is closed for good.
How each situation changes the cost
| Situation | What the work usually involves | Effect on cost |
|---|---|---|
| Single adult under a lattice deck | Open skirting, fit one-way door, screen and seal, one follow-up | Lower |
| Mother with kits (late spring to early summer) | Wait or encourage her to move the kits, one-way door once kits are mobile, extra checks | Higher, adds a visit |
| Den under a porch slab or crawlspace addition | Narrow entry, digging or partial removal to reach, buried screen along a hard edge | Higher |
| Skunk in a window well | Quick humane rescue and a check that the well is safe to cover | Lower |
| One-way door versus live trap | Door on the entry where possible; trap set, checked and released within 1 km where a door cannot work | Door lower; trap higher, adds a visit |
| Dig-proofing the full deck or porch perimeter | Buried L-shaped screen along the skirt | Higher; prevents the same entry being reused |
| Easy versus hard access | Lattice, tall deck and open ground versus low deck, fenced-in or frozen ground | Easy lower; hard higher |
| Skunk sprayed under the structure | Separate from the removal; ask what can be done | Not included in the removal quote |
Why is the cheapest skunk removal quote often the most expensive?
The lowest quote usually pays for one thing: getting the skunk out today. It skips everything that stops the next one.
- No screening means the same den gets reused. An open, previously used hole under a deck is the easiest den in the neighbourhood, and you pay again next season or sooner.
- Trapping without sealing changes nothing. Even a skunk moved the full 1 km Ontario allows is still inside its home range, and the open hole is still there when it gets back.
- A poison approach is illegal and cruel, and we never use it. It also leaves a dead skunk in a spot you cannot reach and puts pets and children at risk. If someone offers it, walk away.
The cheapest quote that actually solves the problem is the one that includes exclusion. As with bat removal, the exclusion is the job, not the eviction. Everything else is a deposit on doing it twice.
What to expect when you call The Critter Guy
Here is what you can expect from us, no surprises:
- A look at the site. We find the entry, check for signs of kits, and check whether a one-way door will work.
- A clear, honest quote up front. We tell you what the job involves and what it costs before we start.
- Humane eviction. A one-way door on the den entry wherever possible. A live trap only where a door genuinely cannot work.
- Screening and sealing. Buried screen along the skirt and a solid seal on the entry, so it does not repeat.
- Follow-up. We confirm the den is empty before the final seal.
- A real person on the phone. Call and you will usually get Dave or Roman, not a call centre.
We are family-run and have been doing this since 2005, based in Owen Sound and serving Grey-Bruce. We hold a 4.6-star rating from 36 Google reviews, and you can read what customers say on our testimonials page.
Can I remove a skunk myself, or should I call someone?
There is a fair bit a homeowner can do, and a few things you should not.
What you can reasonably do:
- Find the hole. Walk the deck, porch and shed perimeter for a smoothed-out opening with loose soil pushed outward.
- Note when the skunk comes and goes. Sprinkle flour or fine sand at the hole and check for tracks in the morning.
- Keep dogs away. A cornered skunk sprays, and a bite means a vet visit and a rabies question.
- Remove attractants. Secure garbage, pick up fallen fruit, and stop feeding pets outside.
- Do not seal the hole while the skunk is inside. You trap the animal, it digs a new hole or dies under the structure, and the job gets bigger and smellier.
When to call:
- You suspect kits are under there.
- The den is under a slab, addition or crawlspace and you cannot see the extent of it.
- The skunk has sprayed under the house.
- A skunk is acting strangely in daylight, staggering, or approaching people. Read our post on whether skunks carry rabies in Ontario and do not approach it.
- You have tried once and it came back.
For the step-by-step version, our guide on how to get rid of skunks under a deck is the how-to companion to this post. And if you are not yet sure it is a skunk, what is digging holes in my lawn at night will help you tell skunk grubbing from raccoons and other diggers.
Does home insurance cover skunk removal?
That depends on your policy wording, and the answer is longer than a paragraph. Read our post on whether homeowners insurance covers wildlife removal before you call your broker.
Frequently asked questions
Does it cost more if the skunk has babies?
Usually, yes. A family job takes longer because the humane approach is to let the mother move the kits or to wait until they can follow her out through a one-way door. That means extra visits and more careful timing. It is worth it: sealing a den with kits inside creates an odour problem far more expensive than the extra visit.
Do you relocate skunks?
Only when a live trap is genuinely needed, and then only within 1 km, which is the limit in Ontario. Because that distance does not take a skunk out of its home range, we prefer one-way doors and exclusion. The skunk leaves on its own, the entry is screened and sealed, and it finds another den somewhere that is not your deck.
Is it cheaper to remove a skunk myself?
It can be, if it is a single adult under an easy-access deck and you are comfortable fitting a one-way door and burying screen. The risks are sealing the skunk in, missing kits, and getting sprayed. If any of those happen, the DIY job ends up costing more than a professional one would have. Our guide on getting skunks out from under a deck walks through the steps so you can decide whether it is a job you want to take on.
Is skunk odour removal included in skunk removal?
No. Removal gets the animal out and seals the entry. Spray odour under the structure is separate work, and we tell you that up front rather than hiding it inside a removal quote. Some homeowners let the smell fade on its own; if you want it dealt with, ask and we will be straight with you about whether it is something we handle.
Get a clear, honest quote
If a skunk has moved in under your deck, porch or shed in Owen Sound or anywhere in Grey-Bruce, get in touch or call 519-783-1575. A real person answers, usually Dave or Roman. Humane methods, no poison, family-run since 2005.