Dumpster Death Trap

Dumpsters and garbage cans are all over the place. Rarely do you think anything more of these containers than a place to throw out your trash.

Did you know that dumpsters and garbage cans can be a nightmare for Raccoons, Opossums, and other small animals? Many times, it's easy to forget to close the lid on these containers and during the night these critters can climb up the outside of the containers, jump in to grab some delicious leftovers only to find themselves STUCK!

This has become a regular occurrence here at our offices in Poughkeepsie, so we have made it a habit to check out dumpster daily to see if we find any critters stuck inside. We regularly find some Raccoons stuck and unable to get out of the container. When we come across these little guys, we take a spare pallet that we keep next to the dumpster and drop it in the container so they can climb out.

Here's some pictures of our recent little rescue:

We have worked on a solution to fix the problem here, and we encourage you all to do the same with your dumpsters and garbage cans.

1) Clean out the area around your garbage storage area.
2) Close all lids to all containers.
3) Request your garbage company to drop the dumpster far enough forward so the lids are not stuck behind and unable to close.
4) Ask your cleaning company or those who handle your garbage to close the lids after they drop garbage in the container.
5) If your lids are stuck because of container placement, or they do not have lids, try to pile the garbage bags in one corner to provide enough height for the critters to hop back out.
6) If all else fails, check daily and if you have a little critter stuck, drop something (sticks, pallets, etc.) in to provide an avenue of escape for the animals, and get out of the way so they can climb out.

Do you have animals that are stuck and can't escape? Have you come across an injured animal? There are groups that can help! If you're in the Hudson Valley or Catskill areas, contact the Friends of the Feathered and Furry Wild Life Center. They have assistants spread across the area and can help!
10846 Route 23A
Hunter, New York 12442
Call 518-989-6534 or Text 518-965-1864