How to make your yard critter-friendly, and your home critter-proof

Winter is coming: Critter-proof your property With Winter just around the corner, Hope Swinamer shares some humane ways to critter-proof your property.

SEAFORTH, N.S. — With winter just around the corner, it's time to prepare again for critters like mice and squirrels.

There are things you can do to keep them in your yard, and out of your home.

"It's that time of year again, fall is in the air and you will see a change in the way the wild animals are behaving," says Hope Swinimer, of the Hope For Wildlife animal rehabilitation centre in Seaforth, N.S.

Swinimer says some of these animals might be trying to find a place to spend the winter and suggests a few things to look for.

"Do a really good walk about," Swinimer says. "Make sure there's no easy hiding places for wildlife, like ways to get into the attic or ways to get into your home." At this time of the year, there is a lot more wildlife to be seen and there's a good reason for that.

"They're very frantic to get the food supply they need to make it through the hard winter," Swinimer says. "So if you see a little bit more wildlife than normal, that's, That's OK. This year is a little bit different from other years, too. We're seeing a lot of baby wild animals still arriving here at Hope For Wildlife."

If you see baby animals around your house, Swinimer urges people to be careful.

"Don't ever try and trap out an animal, because you may be orphaning the babies," she said.

Another thing you can do to make your property more welcoming and safe for wild animals is to not rake up leaves or debris from trees.

"Keeping the leaves down on the ground and also providing branches and habitat is good for all of nature," Swinimer said. "It allows the place for insects and salamanders and different reptiles. It also provides a haven for squirrels and some of our smaller species to have a comfortable winter home."

Following these pointers will help you enjoy a little bit of nature in your yard, but keep it out of your home.