Animal Control
Animal control is a public safety function of Terrebonne Parish. The Terrebonne Parish Animal Shelter is responsible for performing animal control throughout the entire parish. Animal Control handles the following:
- stray and loose animals found roaming the streets
- Community Cat Program
- bite case investigations
- aggressive animals
- rabies quarantine (bite cases)
- cruelty and dogfighting investigations
- animals in distress (24/7)
- support local law enforcement
- enforcement of animal ordinances
- revision of ordinances that address animal issues
- disaster response
- humane education in the field
- humane sheltering of homeless, bite, dangerous, and cruelty case animals
What is a Community Cat?
What is Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)?
Community cats can provide a free and natural form of pest control for neighborhoods. A high-intake animal shelter, such as TPAS, simply does not have the capacity to find adopters for the thousands of cats who are found living outdoors. Many cats who live outside also have not been socialized to live indoors with humans and are better suited to life outdoors.
If you find a community cat without a tipped ear, the best thing to do is Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR). TNR is the process of humanely trapping and transporting community cats for spay/neuter surgery, rabies vacation, and ear-tipping. After the procedures, the cat is returned to their outdoor home. All cats that are outdoors, even for just a short period of time, need to be spayed/neutered and vaccinated.
- Evidence has proven that the previous approach of trapping and euthanizing community cats has not been an effective method for population control. The remaining cats will breed, continuing the population of cats to rise, or move in from other neighborhoods.
- Community cat caregivers provide day-to-day care, while monitoring the colony so that newcomers can be quickly trapped and sterilized.
- Many feral cats are unfriendly, so once they arrive at a shelter, there are few options for them. The Community Cat program provides these cats a chance to live out their natural lives in a healthy manner, while also reducing the overall population.
- Spayed/neutered cats roam much less and become less of a nuisance.
- Spay/neuter surgery controls the cat population by eliminating new litters.
- It greatly reduces nuisance behaviors often associated with unfixed cats, such as mating-related yowling/fighting and the odor of unneutered male spray.
- It reduces the number of kittens/cats in local shelters. In Terrebonne Parish, approximately 1% of cats that enter the shelter are reunited with owners.
- Community cats hunt rats, mice, and other rodents/pests, making them a great first line of defense in pest control.
- It's humane.
What Do I Do if I See a Cat in My Neighborhood?
It takes a Community! Shelters and animal welfare groups across the country are implementing community cat programs to great success with the help of their community. TPAS has joined that effort in humanely and effectively addressing the cat population in our community.
If you see a cat with an ear-tip, it has already been trapped, neutered, and returned. It doesn't need to be helped and should be left alone.
- Trap the cat. Trapping is ONLY allowed from Sunday evening through Friday morning at 8:00 a.m. and NEVER over the weekend or on national holidays.
We strongly recommend calling the shelter to schedule the surgery prior to trapping. Using a borrowed/purchased humane live trap, bait the trap, cover the trap to provide shelter and reduce stress, set it in a quiet dry area away from anthills, and monitor it closely by checking it in the morning, afternoon, and evening. All traps must be labeled with the finder/caregiver's name, phone number, and trapping address. - Drop-off. Trapped cats can be brought to the shelter Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The finder/caretaker will be
given a date and time for pickup (generally 2 days after drop-off). Qualifying cats must be returned to their original territory in a
minimum of 24 hours after the surgery.
- Surgery. The cat will be spayed/neutered the next business day and will also receive rabies vaccinations, FVRCP vaccinations,
and left ear-tips (the universal symbol of a sterilized and vaccinated outdoor cat). A veterinarian at TPAS will determine if the cat is too
ill to participate in the program or if they need treatment before being eligible for safe return. Cats that are deemed too ill to participate
are humanely euthanized.
- Pickup. The cat will recover overnight in their humane trap at TPAS. The finder/caregiver will pick up the cat the following morning.
- Return. The cat should be returned after being fed following pick-up. Do not attempt to handle the cat. Open the door and move away from the trap to allow the cat to leave on its own.
- Disinfect the trap. Disinfect the trap between each use. You will need a scrub brush, bleach, and water. Use a 1:1 ratio by adding 1 cup of bleach to 1 gallon of water. In a well-ventilated area, while using gloves, scrub the trap and rinse thoroughly. Allow the trap to completely dry before use.
What if I Don't Want Cats in My Neighborhood?
Community cats already exist in our community. The Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is the only effective humane way to reduce the population. Our community tried the trap-and-eliminate method for decades without success, as this often creates a “vacuum effect,” encouraging more cats to come into a neighborhood or community. It also helps save lives, as one of the most vulnerable populations in the shelter are young kittens. When community cats are spayed/neutered, unwanted or unexpected litters will reduce around the region.
There are also simple but effective ways to deter cats from your property.
- Secure your trash can with a tight lid or bungee cord.
- Put out fragrances that keep cats away.
- Spread used coffee grounds around your property.
- Make an outdoor litter box away from your garden.
- Use plastic carpet runners or a Scat Cat Mat.
- Use motion-activated sprinklers.
For more tips, check out Alley Cats Allies.
Abandoned Kittens? Or are they?
When we find a litter of kittens, our good-hearted instincts tell us to rush to the aid of these fragile felines. Thankfully, human intervention is typically not required. In fact, the best thing to do is leave the kittens alone. Mom will likely return shortly.It’s critical that the kittens remain in her care, as she offers the best chance for survival. If you find kittens and are extremely certain that they are orphaned, you can then step in and help by caring for the kittens yourself until they’re old enough to find homes.
During kitten season, shelters are overrun with kittens and don’t have adequate resources to care for them. It is best to care for the kittens in your home until they’re 8 weeks old. TPAS does not have enough space to provide kittens the care they require, but our compassionate volunteers and staff came up with a solution!
We’ve launched the Milk Man program designed to make it convenient for people who care for newborn kittens in their home. TPAS will provide all the necessary tools (including starter care kits, resources for vaccinations and bottle feeding, and spay/neuter surgery) to ensure these little felines get off to a healthy start and help you find them forever homes when they’re ready.
It is a question that gets asked hundreds of times throughout kitten season. Since kittens require overnight care, most shelters are unable to care for kittens who may be unsocial or too young to be put up for adoption.
Here are five easy steps to help you navigate kitten season, while also making a difference in the lives of our feline friends.
At first, keep your distance to determine if the kittens have a mother, who may just be out gathering food for them. You don’t want to scare her away. The mother cat will always offer them a better chance of survival. If you don’t see the mom within 8 hours, they are most likely orphans.
If mom is around, leave the family together and provide food, water, and shelter until the kittens can eat on their own. If there is no mom and kittens are able to eat on their own but too young to be spayed or neutered, you or someone you know can help care for them in place. Visit kittenlady.org for more information on caring for kittens. Visit alleycat.org for a list of supplies you’ll need to care for a kitten.
Low-cost or no-cost spay/neuter services are available through TPAS. Once the kittens are of age (approximately 8 weeks old), be sure to get them spayed/neutered. It is also imperative that the mother cat be spayed as well, or you may find yourself in the same predicament in just a few weeks. Females can go into heat and get pregnant while nursing.
Nationally, almost 75% of people take in cats from their neighborhoods or surrounding areas. If you have the time and resources to help kittens as they grow, be on the search for friends, family, coworkers, or neighbors who are looking to adopt a loving feline. They should be spayed/neutered before they leave your care to ensure the cycle doesn't continue.
If the mother cat and/or kittens are not tame or able to be handled, use a humane trap and schedule a spay/neuter surgery with TPAS. After the cat(s) have been spayed/neutered, return them to their natural environment where they can live out the rest of their lives as community cats.
Additional Resources
Stray Animals
Search the below list of animals found by citizens or picked up by Animal Control as strays that are currently being held at the TPAS, click the below picture.
- If during hours of operation, contact TPAS by phone at 985-873-6709.
- If after hours of operation, contact TPAS by email at animalshelter@tpcg.org and provide the animal's description and Animal ID# listed.
Stray Pets
Nuisance Wildlife
Because of the climate, Louisiana is home to many different species of wildlife. Most people in this area will at some point come across some of the most popular neighborhood critters, such as raccoons and opossums. The following information will help you learn some of the best ways to keep your home and property critter free.
As residents of South Louisiana’s incredible natural habitat, we must learn to live with the wildlife around us. Because humans are gradually encroaching on many natural animal habitats, displaced wildlife often have nowhere else to go, so they venture into residential habitats. Preventing the conflict from occurring can be fairly simple and inexpensive.
As residents of South Louisiana’s incredible natural habitat, we must learn to live with the wildlife around us. Because humans are gradually encroaching on many natural animal habitats, displaced wildlife often have nowhere else to go, so they venture into residential habitats. Preventing the conflict from occurring can be fairly simple and inexpensive.
- Repair any openings in your home where animals can gain entry. Even dime-sized holes are access points.
- Screen open windows.
- Cap your chimney.
- Close the open spaces of a raised home with cement blocks or lattice.
- Use artificial owls, hawks, or snakes to discourage small birds and squirrels in fruit trees.
- Sprinkle cayenne pepper around gardens/flower beds to keep wildlife from digging them up.
- Secure your trash can with a tight lid or bungee cord.
- Prevent toppled trash cans by placing the cans in an anchored rack or tying them to a fence.
- Remove all cat and dog food outside after mealtime but before dark every day.
- Clean up spilled birdseed under and around bird feeders.
- Wrap plastic/metal guards around tree trunks about 5 to 6 feet high to limit access to trees and roof tops.
- Trim back tree limbs several feet from roof tops.
- Lock all pet doors at night to keep animals out of the kitchen or garage.
- Spray fox scent to deter raccoons away from your property.
- Lay a wire mesh flat around the edges of a pond with some extending into the water to deter wildlife from eating the fish. Most animals won’t stand on it because the wire is unstable.
Humane Solutions to Common Wildlife Problems diagram describes few other ways to minimize conflicts with wild animals around your house.
The animal living in your attic chose the space because it is a dark, warm, and quiet place to spend the day or raise a family. Follow these three steps to encourage the animal to find a new home.
You will need:
- clear ammonia
- empty cans or containers
- rags to act as wicks
- a bright light
- a portable radio
Step 1: Make the attic smell unpleasant.
Soak a rag in ammonia and place it in a container. Pour extra ammonia in the container and place it in the attic. Use enough ammonia that the aroma is unpleasant but not so strong that it will kill the animal.
Step 2: Make the attic bright.
Hang a portable light in the attic using a high wattage bulb. Leave the light on 24 hours a day. The bright light will make the animal feel insecure because potential predators can see it and cause it harm. It also makes it hard for the animal to sleep, so the animal will search for a darker and safer location.
Step 3: Invade the attic with loud human voices.
Place a radio in the attic tuned to a talk radio station. Raise the volume so that the sound reaches the entire attic. Wild animals do not want to be around people, and by providing constant human voices, you make the attic a scary place. Note: Don’t play music. Only the sounds of talking will scare the animals.
You have now eliminated every reason the wild animal chose your attic. It is now a smelly, bright, and noisy place. The animal must find a new home.
If it is a mother with young babies, it isn’t easy to create a new nest in one night. Give the mother 3 to 4 days to move all her babies. Once all the animals have left, secure all entry points to prevent a new animal from moving in.
Myth: It's okay to hand feed or tame a wild animal.
Fact: You should never attempt to hand feed or tame a wild animal. Wildlife that have no fear of people never survive for very long.
Myth: Removing nuisance wildlife will solve the problem for good.
Fact: Trapping and removing nuisance wildlife, such as opossums or raccoons, will only temporarily solve a problem. Another opossum or raccoon will move in to fill the niche.
Myth: It is best to relocate wildlife into the woods.
Fact: Relocating wildlife in the woods or the wild is not always in the best interest of the animal. Forcing the animal into other animals' territories means it has to compete with the resident animal for a nesting area and food. In many cases, it is the newcomer that loses and dies from infected bite wounds or starvation.
Myth: It is unusual for wildlife to come out during the day and if they do, they likely have rabies.
Fact: At certain times of the year, there may be an increased appearance of opossums and raccoons, including during daylight hours. This behavior generally occurs because the animals are having their young and become much more active during the day and night as they search for food. After the babies have left the nests or dens, the level of animal activity returns to normal.
Myth: A drooling opossum has rabies.
Fact: Most opossums drool. This is not a sign of rabies. In general, opossums present a far lower health risk to humans than dogs and cats, as they have a natural high level of immunity to most diseases.
Healthy Nuisance Wildlife Removal
The removal of healthy nuisance wildlife is typically handled by the residents themselves, or by professional, private wildlife trappers.
Local wildlife trappers:
- Jeff Lecompte: (985) 637-5615
- Mike Hotard: (504) 352-1097
**Note: TPAS is not recommending any trapper listed, but merely providing the information as a public convenience.
Anyone interested in becoming a licensed wildlife trapper can find information at wlf.louisiana.gov.
Citizen Trapping/Relocating
View the LDWLF guidance and laws regarding citizen trapping and relocating before purchasing/setting a trap and/or relocating wildlife.
Sick/Injured/Orphaned Wildlife Removal
For sick/injured/orphaned wildlife, contact a wildlife rehabilitator.
Local wildlife rehabilitators:
- Laurie Laughlin: (985) 381-2618
- Kaden Benoit: (985) 232-0566
- Audubon Zoo: (504) 212-5367
- LSU School of Veterinary Medicine: (225) 578-9600
**Note: TPAS is not recommending any rehabilitators listed, but merely providing the information as a public convenience.
Anyone interested in becoming a licensed wildlife rehabilitator can find information at wlf.louisiana.gov.
Found a baby bird and don’t know what you should do? Find more information in the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Baby Bird guide on what you should do.
Found a baby mammal and don’t know what you should do? Find more information in the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Baby Mammal guide on what you should do.
If a rehabilitator is not available to assist with sick/injured/orphaned wildlife or wildlife in the primary living space of a residence (not the attic, garage, etc.), close all doors in the area to confine the animal, then contact Terrebonne Parish Animal Control at (985) 873-6709.
Alligators are found in fresh and brackish waterbodies. Louisiana has the highest alligator population. Alligator nuisance complaints are handled by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. To make a complaint, call 1 (800) 442-2511.
Trying to tackle a bee problem is better left to the professionals since numerous bee stings without proper protection can cause serious illness, even if you are not allergic to the sting. In addition, if the queen is left behind, the bees will only return. If you need assistance with a bee infestation, please contact a professional bee removal service that specializes in properly removing the hive and ensuring that all of the bees are gone.
Local beekeepers:
- Jude (no location restrictions): (985) 519-4777
- Joey Hutchinson: (985) 709-9885
- Dakota Fitch (no location restrictions): (985) 709-5049
**Note: TPAS is not recommending any beekeepers listed, but merely providing the information as a public convenience.
Coyotes are a small dog-like species that belong to the canine family along with dogs, foxes, and wolves. Coyotes are omnivorous and can consume everything from small mammals and insects, to berries and garbage, depending on what is available. They form family units similar to raccoons after a female gives birth to pups, and one coyote family may claim a territory as large as several square miles. Coyotes, like most wildlife, are shy and will avoid contact with humans if at all possible. In urban areas, they may be less fearful because of their regular exposure to human sights, sounds, and smells.
Discouraging Neighborhood Coyotes
Human pets, such as cats and dogs, do run the risk of being seen as a food source for coyotes, so outdoor animals should be monitored if coyotes are known to be roaming the area. Cat and dog attacks by coyotes are rare, and coyote aggression is tempered by the threat of being close to humans.
To discourage neighborhood coyotes from attacking your pets:
- Ensure your animals have a secure place to go at night or are brought inside.
- Remove easy access to food sources, such as birdseed or uncovered trash cans, that may also attract smaller prey animals.
- Invest in products that deter through smell and taste (such as Critter Ridder or Liquid Fence), motion sensing-devices, or fright techniques (such as scarecrows).
Nuisance Coyote Complaints
Nuisance coyote complaints can be handled by professional, private wildlife trappers.
**Note: TPAS is not recommending any wildlife trappers listed, but merely providing the information as a public convenience.
Anyone interested in becoming a licensed wildlife rehabilitator can find information at wlf.louisiana.gov.
No matter where you live in South Louisiana, there are opossums. This non-aggressive animal can adjust to living just about anywhere. The most common den sites are under wood piles, decks, and mobile homes. An opossum may bite if it perceives a threat to its well-being, such as being grabbed or petted. The best thing for the opossum is to be left in its own territory where it can find food and know where there is a safe shelter.
Opossums prefer to run away or “play possum” and will only hiss, growl, and/or fight if attacked or frightened.
The opossum can be very beneficial as a rodent/pest eater. They eat a variety of food including dead animals, fruits, insects, mice, etc. They will eat food left outside and would consider cat food a gourmet meal. An opossum may get into garbage cans, eat your pet's food, or eat cultivated fruits and vegetables. It may enter a home through ripped screens or vents and duct systems. To alleviate these problems, follow the Preventing Conflict with Nuisance Wildlife guidelines.
If you come across an opossum in your attic or garage, try to find out how it got in, then follow the guidelines for Encouraging an Animal to Leave Your Attic.
The removal of nuisance opossums can be handled by professional, private wildlife trappers.
**Note: TPAS is not recommending any wildlife trappers listed, but merely providing the information as a public convenience.
Anyone interested in becoming a licensed wildlife rehabilitator can find information at wlf.louisiana.gov.
Raccoons are found in all types of habitats. They are especially active at night, looking for food. The raccoon is a seasonal eater that prefers fish, small mammals, seeds, fruits, vegetables, insects, etc. The long, slender toes on the front feet give the raccoon great dexterity in grasping food, and the larger surfaces on the back feet give it superb agility in climbing for food. Despite urbanization and land development taking away the majority of their natural romping grounds, raccoons have adapted and flourished. Raccoons topple our garbage cans, nest in our attics, roam our lawns for food, and prey upon the fish in our ponds.
Raccoons are found in all types of habitats. They are especially active at night, looking for food. The raccoon is a seasonal eater that prefers fish, small mammals, seeds, fruits, vegetables, insects, etc. The long, slender toes on the front feet give the raccoon great dexterity in grasping food, and the larger surfaces on the back feet give it superb agility in climbing for food. Despite urbanization and land development taking away the majority of their natural romping grounds, raccoons have adapted and flourished. Raccoons topple our garbage cans, nest in our attics, roam our lawns for food, and prey upon the fish in our ponds.
The removal of nuisance raccoons can be handled by professional, private wildlife trappers.
Local wildlife trappers:
- Jeff Lecompte: (985) 637-5615
- Mike Hotard: (504) 352-1097
Anyone interested in becoming a licensed wildlife rehabilitator can find information at wlf.louisiana.gov.
The removal of nuisance snakes can be handled by professional, private wildlife trappers.
Local wildlife trappers:
- Dalton Kersey (West Houma, Gray, Schriever, Thibodaux): (985) 227-2528
- Nicholas Hebert (East Houma to Presque Isle and Dularge): (985) 217-0711
- Jeff Lecompte: (985) 637-5615
- Mike Hotard: (504) 352-1097
- Lajaunie’s Pest Control: (985) 859-7378
**Note: TPAS is not recommending any wildlife trappers listed, but merely providing the information as a public convenience.
Anyone interested in becoming a licensed wildlife rehabilitator can find information at wlf.louisiana.gov.
Occasionally, a squirrel may choose homes in attics, chimneys, and small openings in buildings rather than their traditional, natural habitats in tree openings or leafy coverings. They may enter the house through uncapped chimneys, unscreened vents, or openings left by loose or rotted boards and can potentially cause further damage to a home.
Ways to Squirrel-Proof Your Home
- Repair any openings in your home where animals can gain entry. Even dime-sized holes are access points.
- Screen open windows.
- Cap your chimney.
- Close the open spaces of a raised home with cement blocks or lattice.
- Use artificial owls, hawks, or snakes to discourage small birds and squirrels in fruit trees.
- Sprinkle cayenne pepper around gardens/flower beds to keep wildlife from digging them up.
- Clean up spilled birdseed under and around bird feeders.
- Wrap plastic/metal guards around tree trunks about 5 to 6 feet high to limit access to trees and roof tops.
- Trim back tree limbs several feet from roof tops.
- Lock all pet doors at night to keep animals out of the kitchen or garage.
- Spray fox scent to deter raccoons away from your property.
See the Encouraging an Animal to Leave Your Attic to view other ways to remove wildlife from your attic.
