There is some good advice here. I think the calling the animal control to see what they can do is best if you dont have the heart for the Dr Winchester. I personally always used the good Dr because it was quick and painless, didnt harm my animals, and usually ended the problem in one or two sittings.

The only one I had problems with that I never did figure out how to get rid of was skunks. I wouldnt use the winchester cause when they die they tend to release, and live trapping was out too. LOL. One time I tried the scare them away method, and banked a golf ball off ones head, and he just turned and looked at me like what did you do that for, just before he went into his little stomp and hiss dance. Had me runnin for the house hahahahaha!

They also were after the cats food, and the cats would eat side by side with them skunks. I lived about a mile off the main highway, and had 4 fixed cats that would grow into at least 3 dozen a year because of people abandoning their pets at the highway. I also had 4 dogs that would also grow in numbers every year to 6 to 8. It was a shame to have to turn them into the animal shelter, but I just couldnt keep feeding dozens of animals a day.

One day I even had a Emu runnin around with my horses. Never did find the owner, but had a great time learning the quirkyness of those birds LOL.

There was one thing I did about the skunks to keep them away from the house, and that was feed the cats further away. We still got the occassional smell when something would set them off, but it wasnt as bad as having it done under your window.