Wildlife / Around the house

Something's in the house or yard.

A raccoon in the attic, a skunk under the deck, an armadillo digging the lawn, a possum on the porch. Here's the part that trips everyone up.

Short answer

The big surprise: you often can't relocate it

To slow the spread of rabies, Texas law makes it illegal to transport a live fox, skunk, coyote, or raccoon - period (a Class C misdemeanor). Only certain permitted people (rehabbers, licensed pest pros, officials) may move them, and only within 10 miles, in the same county. Other furbearers (like opossums or beavers) may be relocated only with TPWD authorization and the receiving landowner's permission. So the common plan - 'live-trap it and let it go in the country' - is usually against the law, and it's not even kind: dumped animals are disoriented, fight the locals, and usually die.

Texas catch: Trapping an animal and dumping it 'out in the country' is usually against the law - and it's not even kind. You've also just made a problem for someone else.

Official source: Texas DSHS - Wild Animal Transport Rules

What you can do

Take away what's attracting it: secure trash, feed pets indoors, clean up fallen birdseed and fruit, cap chimneys, and seal holes into attics and under decks (after you're sure no animals - or babies - are inside).
A landowner may remove a nuisance furbearer that's causing damage on their own land, by any means, without a hunting license - but you can't keep the animal, and don't use poison.
Hire a licensed wildlife control operator for trapping and humane removal - the simplest, safest route for most homeowners.
For rural crop or livestock damage (feral hogs, predators), USDA Wildlife Services and county extension offices can help.

Bats - protected, but removable

Getting a bat out of your house

Bats eat tons of insects and are protected in Texas - you may not kill, sell, or possess them. One exception: a bat inside or on a building people use may be removed. Do it the right way.

No poison or mothballs: Never use poison, sprays, or mothballs on bats. It doesn't work, and it's illegal - mothballs are a registered pesticide, and using them this way breaks the product's federal label.

Use exclusion: The humane fix is exclusion: let the bats leave to feed at night, then seal the openings so they can't get back in (a pro can do this). Don't seal between May 1 and August 31, when flightless pups may be trapped inside.

Bat in a bedroom? If a bat is in a room with a sleeping person, a child, or a pet, don't just release it - a bat bite can be tiny and unnoticed. Wearing leather gloves, contain it without harming it (a coffee can and cardboard work), and call your local health department or animal control about rabies testing.

TPWD - Bats & Nongame Species ->

Keep going

A baby or hurt animal

Babies under the deck?

What to do ->

Sick or strange animals

Rabies and the bat rule.

Know the signs ->

What's legal

Keep, move, or feed.

The legal map ->

Wildlife hub

Back to the main guide.

Open the hub ->

Official sources

Nuisance-animal control rules come from TPWD; the ban on moving rabies-vector animals comes from Texas DSHS. Bats are protected nongame, with a building-removal exception.

Data vintage:: Nuisance and bat rules as reviewed June 2026
Last reviewed:: June 15, 2026

TPWD - Nuisance Fur-bearing Animals - Control and relocation rules
Texas DSHS - Wild Animal Transport Rules - Why you can't move rabies-vector animals
TPWD - Bats & Nongame Species

Caution: Relocation rules are strict and vary by species. A licensed wildlife control operator is the safest route, and the official pages are the final word.

Spot something that needs a Texas check? This first pass is built to be polished over time. Send the page name, county, parcel context if relevant, and the official source you are looking at. Email Texas Porch.