Nuisance Wildlife Control in Harrisburg, PA — Licensed PA NWCO

Lawns Plants & Pests LLC is a Pennsylvania-licensed Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator (NWCO) serving Harrisburg, Hershey, Camp Hill, Mechanicsburg, and the surrounding Dauphin and Cumberland County communities. We humanely trap and remove raccoons, groundhogs, squirrels, skunks, opossums, bats, and snakes from homes, businesses, and rural properties — including attics, crawl spaces, sheds, garages, decks, and yards. We also handle dead animal removal and exclusion work to keep wildlife from coming back. Free estimates. Call or text 717-379-3248.

In Pennsylvania, a Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator (NWCO) is licensed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission to legally trap, handle, and remove wildlife species that the average pest control company isn't licensed to touch. Most pest companies in the Harrisburg area can spray for insects but cannot legally remove a raccoon from your attic or trap a groundhog in your yard. We can. Wildlife in Pennsylvania is regulated, and removing it requires the right credentials, the right traps, and knowledge of state law on how each species must be handled.

Wildlife Species We Handle

Raccoon Removal

Raccoons get into attics, chimneys, garages, and crawl spaces — often a mother raccoon raising kits in spring. They're strong, smart, and cause real damage tearing through soffits and roof vents. We humanely trap and remove the adult, locate and remove any kits (so they're not left to die in the attic), and seal the entry point with one-way doors when needed. Raccoons can carry rabies and roundworm, so professional handling matters.

Groundhog Removal

Groundhogs (woodchucks) are the most common wildlife callout in the Harrisburg area. They dig burrows under sheds, decks, porches, and foundations, and they destroy gardens and farm crops. The structural damage from a long-term groundhog burrow under a building can be serious. We trap groundhogs with the right gear and remove them according to PA Game Commission rules.

Squirrel Removal

Gray squirrels and flying squirrels routinely get into attics through soffit gaps and roof line openings. They chew on wood, insulation, and electrical wiring — squirrel-caused electrical fires are a real risk. We trap, remove, and install one-way doors at the entry points so squirrels can leave but can't return. We don't remove tree squirrels that are simply living in trees on your property — that's normal wildlife.

Skunk Removal

Skunks den under decks, sheds, and porches, especially during winter and spring breeding season. The smell, the digging, and the rabies risk make them a problem most homeowners want resolved fast. We trap and remove skunks with techniques that minimize spraying, then close off the den site so a new skunk doesn't move in.

Opossum Removal

Opossums are usually transient — they move through yards rather than setting up residence — but when one dens under a deck, in a crawl space, or in a shed, removal is straightforward. We trap and relocate per state guidelines.

Bat Removal and Exclusion

Bats in attics, soffits, gables, and chimneys require careful handling. Several Pennsylvania bat species are protected, including some that may be present in your home, so removal must follow state and federal guidelines — including timing restrictions during maternity season (typically May through July) when removing flightless pups would be illegal and harmful. We perform proper bat exclusions using one-way doors on identified entry points, allowing bats to leave naturally without re-entry. If you've found a single bat in living space, we can also do single-bat removal and entry-point investigation.

Snake Removal

Most snakes in the Harrisburg area are non-venomous (garter snakes, black rat snakes, milk snakes) and beneficial — but if you have one in your basement, garage, or crawl space, you don't have to live with it. We safely remove snakes from structures and identify the species. We also help identify entry points and recommend exclusion measures. Pennsylvania does have venomous snakes (timber rattlesnake, copperhead, and the rare massasauga); if there's any chance you have a venomous species, do not approach it — call us or PA Game Commission immediately.

Dead Animal Removal

When a wild animal dies in an attic, wall void, crawl space, under a deck, or in a yard, the smell can take weeks to fade and the carcass attracts flies and secondary pests. We locate and remove dead animals from inaccessible spaces and dispose of them properly. Often we can also identify the entry point so you don't have a repeat visitor.

Exclusion and Entry Point Sealing

Trapping and removing the animal is only half the job. If you don't seal the entry point, a new animal will use it — sometimes within days. As part of our removal service, we install one-way doors during active removals and seal small entry points after the animal is out. For larger structural repairs (replacing chewed soffits, rebuilding rotted fascia, full roof line work), the customer handles those repairs with a contractor of their choice. We tell you up front what's involved and where to focus repair work for the best long-term result.

Service Area

We provide nuisance wildlife control throughout Dauphin, Cumberland, Lebanon, and York Counties — including Harrisburg, Paxtang, Penbrook, Steelton, Highspire, Middletown, Hummelstown, Hershey, Palmyra, Annville, Cleona, Lebanon, Grantville, Linglestown, Colonial Park, Susquehanna Township, Lower Paxton, Camp Hill, Mechanicsburg, Lemoyne, New Cumberland, Wormleysburg, Enola, Marysville, Halifax, Millersburg, Elizabethtown, Mount Joy, Mount Wolf, Manchester, Dillsburg, Carlisle, Boiling Springs, and surrounding Central Pennsylvania communities. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does wildlife removal cost?

Pricing varies by species, location of the animal, and how much trapping or exclusion work is needed. A single squirrel in a soffit is different from a raccoon family in an attic or a bat colony in a gable. We give free on-site estimates after looking at the situation. No high-pressure sales calls and no contracts.

Can't I just trap and release the animal myself?

In Pennsylvania, no — not legally for most species. The PA Game Commission regulates wildlife handling, and unlicensed trapping or relocation of regulated species can result in fines. Beyond legality, DIY trapping often separates mothers from young (which then die in your attic), leaves the entry point open for the next animal, and exposes you to bites, parasites, and rabies risk. Hire a licensed NWCO.

How quickly can you respond?

Most calls are scheduled within a few days. For active emergencies — a raccoon in your living space, a snake your kids are watching, a skunk under the deck about to spray — we prioritize same-day or next-day response when possible.

Do you relocate animals or euthanize them?

Pennsylvania law dictates how each species must be handled, and we follow state requirements. Some species can be relocated to suitable habitat; others must be handled differently per Game Commission rules. We do not exterminate for sport or convenience — we follow the regulated process for each species.

Can you remove bats during maternity season?

No — and any company that says yes is breaking the law. Pennsylvania law prohibits bat exclusions from approximately May through July when flightless pups are present, because exclusion during that window separates pups from mothers and causes them to die in your home. We perform bat exclusions outside that window. If you have an active bat issue during maternity season, we can assess, contain spread, and schedule the exclusion for the proper time.

Will the animals come back after you remove them?

That depends entirely on whether the entry point gets sealed. If you trap and remove without exclusion, another animal will eventually use the same opening. We install one-way doors during active removals and seal smaller entry points to dramatically reduce repeat issues. Larger structural repairs are on the customer, but we'll tell you exactly what needs to happen.

I think I have wildlife in my attic but I'm not sure what it is. Can you help identify?

Yes. Sounds, droppings, damage patterns, and entry points all tell us what species you're dealing with. Call us, describe what you're hearing and seeing — what time of day, what kind of noises, where in the house — and we can usually narrow it down before we even arrive.

Get a Free Wildlife Removal Estimate

Call or text 717-379-3248 or email Lawnsplantspests@gmail.com for a free estimate on nuisance wildlife removal in Harrisburg or anywhere in Central PA. PA Game Commission licensed NWCO. Locally owned. Insured. Serving Harrisburg, Hershey, Camp Hill, Mechanicsburg, and all of Central PA.