To prevent skunks and other unwanted wildlife from living around your house, keep pet-food indoors, secure garbage, and access to possible denning sites like a crawl space under the house.
Skunks are nocturnal. The chance of your dog or cat tangling with a skunk increases in the evening.
If you encounter a skunk, it will give you warning signs before it sprays, and generally only spray if they can’t escape or their young are threatened.
They will raise their tail, stamp their tiny front feet, hiss and do little charges before they twist their backside into spraying position.
Home-made de-stinker
On Monday night, Rebecca Salmon’s dog got sprayed by a skunk in Deep Bay. It was, as she says, a yucky experience for everyone.
She now recommends that everyone has a bottle of skunk de-stinker on hand. Here’s her homemade version. Apply liberally!
Skunk scent-remover shampoo
32 ounces hydrogen peroxide
¼ cup baking soda
1 tsp dishwashing liquid
Mix ingredients together in a large bottle with cap. Use as shampoo on humans and pets. Rinse well.
