Service area
Wildlife removal in Cherokee County, Georgia
Cherokee County has grown fast, and most of that growth went into ground that was woods a few years ago. New construction next to standing timber is a recipe for squirrels in the attic and snakes along the foundation.
What I see most in Cherokee County
Woodstock and Towne Lake subdivisions sit on the edge of Lake Allatoona and the Little River, which keeps raccoon, beaver and snake calls steady through the warm months.
New homes are not sealed homes. Builder gaps at the roof returns, uncapped vents and unscreened dryer and bath vents are some of the most common ways animals get into houses that are only a year or two old.
Up toward Ball Ground, Waleska and Free Home the lots are bigger and the woods are thicker, so bats in barns and outbuildings and snakes around woodpiles come up more than they do in town.
What customers say
4.9 on Google · 80 reviews-
★★★★★
Brandon went above and beyond to help us. Kept in contact with us and kept us updated on how our critter situation was going. Very personable, took the time to listen to me, and very reasonably priced. You won’t regret using his services! Thank you Brandon!!
Amanda W. · July 2025 · Google review
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★★★★★
Super informative and extremely quick at responding. I felt like my concerns were handled with a lot of care. I haven’t had any issues since Brandon handled them. He’s very kind and easy to work with as well.
Kaylen G. · May 2025 · Google review
Reviews are copied word for word from Google. Older ones mention Total Animal Control, the company’s former name. Read all 80 reviews on Google
Public land and wildlife nearby
The state's 2,070-acre McGraw Ford Wildlife Management Area sits on the Etowah River near Ball Ground, and Lake Allatoona reaches into the county around Woodstock. Large blocks of public woods next to fast-growing subdivisions keep the edge between forest and lawn long, and that edge is where most wildlife conflicts start.
Does Cherokee County Animal Control deal with wildlife?
In Cherokee, Animal Control is a unit of the Cherokee County Marshal's Office, and the county describes its job as enforcing county ordinances and state laws as they relate to domestic animals. Its caseload covers cruelty and neglect, stray or abandoned animals, attacks and bites, loose or unattended animals, vicious animals and nuisance animals.
Wildlife inside a home is spelled out separately. The county's "Who Do I Call?" guide, last updated in 2022, says that when squirrels, raccoons or other wildlife get into attics, crawl spaces and walls, residents need to direct that problem to a private company.
The same guide covers two related situations:
- A wild animal that seems sick or diseased should be reported to the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division at 1-800-366-2661.
- A dead animal in the roadway or right of way is picked up by Public Works (770-345-5842). The county says it cannot pick up or dispose of dead animals on private property.
Which Cherokee numbers go with which problem?
The Marshal's Office FAQ separates its phone lines. To have an officer sent for a stray, loose or nuisance animal, call 678-493-4080. Questions about a specific bite incident or a bat exposure go to the Animal Control office at 678-493-6200. The county animal shelter, which handles adoptions and intake, is at 770-345-7270.
None of those lines will send someone to open an attic. Getting the animal out, and then sealing the gap it used, is the part I handle.
Who handles rabies questions in Cherokee County?
Cherokee County Environmental Health, part of the North Georgia Health District, is at 1130 Bluffs Parkway in Canton, phone 770-479-0444. The district says its environmental health staff advise the public on rabies prevention, submit animal specimens to the Georgia Public Health Laboratory for testing, and follow up on animal bite cases to make sure no one is left at risk.
Outside office hours, or when a bite feels urgent, the district points people to Georgia Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 and to a medical provider. For a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
What does the county say about bats, squirrels and other animals and rabies?
The Animal Control FAQ treats a bat that bites or scratches a person or pet as a high-risk rabies exposure, and asks that you contact Animal Control right away. If a bat is found indoors and you cannot tell whether anyone was touched, call for guidance before disposing of it.
Rodents are handled differently. The FAQ says squirrels, chipmunks, rats, mice and similar small animals seldom survive an attack by a rabid animal and do not normally carry rabies, so Animal Control does not take reports on them or hold them for testing.
Larger wild carnivores are the opposite case. The county lists foxes, skunks, raccoons, bobcats and coyotes as animals that can carry rabies without showing signs, and says not to handle them even when they appear injured.
How new is Cherokee County's housing?
Census Bureau figures from the 2024 American Community Survey show about 111,400 housing units in the county, with a median year built of 2003. Roughly 57 percent were built in 2000 or later, including about 22,000 in the 2010s and close to 11,000 since 2020. Only about 12 percent predate 1980.
As with any survey, these numbers come with margins of error. What they show clearly is that most Cherokee homes are only one or two decades old.
On a house that young I am rarely chasing rot or rusted screens. The work is finding the few openings that were never closed in the first place, and they tend to sit where two trades met: siding against roofing, a vent cap against a wall, a utility line through the foundation. Once those are found and closed with material an animal cannot chew through, a newer home is usually easy to keep sealed.
What should Cherokee homeowners know about bears and deer?
McGraw Ford WMA, on the Etowah River in Cherokee County, has about 5 miles of river frontage and is managed with archery deer and bear hunting each fall, according to Georgia DNR. A managed bear hunt on state land inside the county is a clear sign that black bears live here.
That has a practical limit for homeowners. Georgia DNR states that nuisance wildlife control operators are not authorized to trap or remove bears involved in conflicts with people, and are not authorized to handle deer or turkeys either. Those problems go to DNR's Wildlife Resources Division, not to a private company.
What a private operator can do is everything around the house that draws animals in or lets them shelter there, from sealing a crawlspace to pointing out an attractant in the yard.
Towns and communities I cover in Cherokee County
Canton, Woodstock, Holly Springs, Ball Ground, Waleska, Free Home, and the unincorporated areas around them. The county seat is Canton.
Common questions in Cherokee County
Will Cherokee County Animal Control get a squirrel out of my attic?
No. The county's own guide says squirrels, raccoons and other wildlife in attics, crawl spaces and walls should be directed to a private company. Animal Control enforces ordinances that relate to domestic animals.
Who picks up a dead animal in Cherokee County?
Cherokee County Public Works picks up dead animals that are in the roadway or right of way (770-345-5842). The county says it cannot pick up or dispose of dead animals on private property, so one in an attic, wall or yard is the homeowner's to arrange.
A bat was in our bedroom overnight. Who do I call in Cherokee?
Call Animal Control at 678-493-6200 before getting rid of the bat, and contact your doctor. Cherokee County Environmental Health (770-479-0444) follows up on rabies exposures, and Georgia Poison Control (1-800-222-1222) takes urgent calls after hours.
Will the county test a squirrel or rat for rabies?
Generally not. The Marshal's Office says squirrels, chipmunks, rats, mice and similar small animals do not normally carry rabies, and Animal Control does not take reports on them or confine them for testing. Talk to your doctor about any bite all the same.
Who handles a bear problem in Cherokee County?
Georgia DNR's Wildlife Resources Division. The state says nuisance wildlife control operators are not authorized to trap or remove bears involved in conflicts with people. DNR's general line is 1-800-366-2661.
Who should I call about a wild animal that looks sick?
Cherokee County's guide sends suspected diseased wildlife to the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division at 1-800-366-2661. Keep people and pets away from it in the meantime, and do not try to handle it.
What hours can I report a loose or nuisance animal in Cherokee?
The Marshal's Office takes those complaints at 678-493-4080 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and an Animal Control Officer can be dispatched. Outside those hours, the FAQ directs callers to the Sheriff's Office non-emergency line. These lines are for domestic animals; wildlife living in a house is still a private-company job.
What happens if an animal bites someone and then disappears?
According to the Marshal's Office, humane live traps are placed in the area of the incident when a biting animal cannot be located right away. If an animal is euthanized, its remains are sent to the state lab for rabies testing.