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Skunk Removal in Shreveport
Skunks den under porches, decks and sheds, and you usually know about it before you see one.
Skunks den under porches, decks and sheds, and in Shreveport that means the raised additions and detached garages behind the older housing stock. You generally know before you see anything.
Skunks in Caddo Parish: who does what
The City of Shreveport publishes a short list of what it does not do, and it is unusually blunt: it does not pick up stray animals, does not spray for mosquitoes and does not supply rat poison. All of it goes to Caddo Parish Animal Services instead, and Caddo handles dogs and cats. Nothing in either remit covers an animal that has moved into a roof, so a squirrel in the eaves is a private expense from the first phone call.
The Louisiana Department of Health names northwest Louisiana, where Caddo Parish sits, as one of the two main areas of skunk rabies in the state over the past twenty years. Its report gives no Caddo-only count.
For identifying an animal or damage before anyone is paid to look, the LSU AgCenter, Caddo Parish office is at 2408 East 70th Street, Shreveport, LA 71105 (office page).
What Louisiana law says about skunks
A licensed property owner may trap or shoot a skunk proven to be causing damage, year-round in daylight, without a permit. Skunks are rabies vectors in LDWF’s rules, and operators may not relocate one: it must be euthanized within 12 hours. The only land-animal rabies variant known to circulate in Louisiana is the southern skunk variant. All Louisiana rules →
Sources: Louisiana Department of Health: rabies annual report 2023; Louisiana Administrative Code Title 76 (wildlife and fisheries); City of Shreveport, Animal/Pest Nuisance. Checked October 2026.
Signs, and why they matter
- The obvious: a persistent musky smell around a deck or crawlspace
- Cone-shaped digs in the lawn where they have been hunting grubs
- A burrow entrance at the edge of a porch, slab or shed
- Rabies vector
- Spray contaminating a crawlspace or HVAC intake, which is extremely difficult to remove
How removal works
Careful trapping (skunks spray when startled, so this genuinely is a job for someone who has done it before) followed by burying an exclusion barrier along the structure edge.
Skunk questions
How much does skunk removal cost in Shreveport?
$300 – $550 typical, depending on access and whether young are present. After a long stay in an attic the cleanup is often the bigger bill (attic restoration).
Is there a wrong time of year to deal with skunks?
Worst in spring, when females den to give birth, and again in autumn as they look for somewhere to overwinter.
Who handles skunks in Caddo Parish?
The Louisiana Department of Health names northwest Louisiana, where Caddo Parish sits, as one of the two main areas of skunk rabies in the state over the past twenty years. Its report gives no Caddo-only count.
Request a quote
We read every request and pass it to a licensed wildlife operator covering Shreveport where one is available. We are still building our list of operators here, so we cannot promise one is available or say how quickly they will respond.