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To reduce raccoon visits, remove outdoor food and water access, secure trash, close openings to attics and basements, and keep dogs away from raccoons and their feces. These steps cannot guarantee a raccoon-proof yard, but they address the food, water, and shelter that can draw wildlife close to a home. The guidance here is U.S.-based; local wildlife rules and rabies patterns vary.
Start with the steps that remove access
Work through the yard from the dog’s routines outward: where the dog eats and drinks, where trash is stored, where wildlife could find water, and where a raccoon might enter or den. Focus on preventing access rather than trying to make a raccoon approach a particular device or substance.
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| What to address | Practical step | What it helps protect | When to involve local help |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pet food and water | Feed the dog indoors and do not leave pet food outdoors; prevent wildlife access to food and water. | Reduces food access near the dog. | Usually no professional help is needed for routine feeding changes. |
| Trash | Keep trash containers tightly closed. A lid strap or latch is one possible way to help keep a lid closed; it is not a guarantee against raccoons. | Reduces access to food scraps. | Consider local help if raccoons repeatedly enter a structure or establish a den. |
| Water sources | Consider whether a pond or another water source is drawing wildlife close to the house. | Addresses a possible attractant. | Seek local advice if changing or managing the source is unclear. |
| Shelter and entry points | Close openings to attics and basements, and cover sandboxes when not in use. | Reduces access to places raccoons may use for shelter and limits contact with contaminated areas. | Contact animal control about recurring entry or a den; do not approach or handle the raccoon. |
| Dog’s outdoor access | Keep the dog away from wild raccoons and areas with raccoon feces. | Reduces direct contact and exposure to feces. | Contact a veterinarian or local health officials promptly if exposure may have occurred. |
CDC recommends removing access to food and water, keeping trash tightly closed, and closing potential shelter openings as part of preventing raccoon roundworm exposure and discouraging raccoons from living around homes. The advice is about reducing opportunities for wildlife, not guaranteeing that raccoons will never pass through a yard. CDC’s raccoon roundworm prevention guidance has the full prevention recommendations.
A simple yard review
Start with the places the dog uses every day, then check the rest of the property for the same kinds of access. Ask: Is food left outside? Can wildlife reach a water source or trash? Is there an opening into an attic or basement? Is a sandbox uncovered? Are there areas where raccoon feces are present? These questions organize prevention around access rather than around guessing why a particular raccoon visited.
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Address the accessible food, water, trash, and shelter you can identify. If the dog eats outside, changing that routine is a direct first step. If raccoons are entering a building or using a den, the issue is no longer just a feeding-area adjustment; contact local animal control rather than approaching or handling the animal yourself. The right local response depends on local rules and the situation.
Keep dog food from becoming an outdoor attractant
Feed indoors and clear up leftovers
Do not leave pet food outdoors. If the dog normally eats in the yard, move meals inside and remove any food left after feeding rather than relying on a bowl being empty later. Also prevent wildlife from reaching water provided for the dog. CDC advises preventing access to food and water; it does not identify a particular bowl, feeder, or feeding schedule as a raccoon deterrent.
Look beyond the dog’s bowl when checking the yard. Trash that is not tightly closed can also offer food scraps. If a raccoon keeps visiting, review whether food or water remains accessible instead of assuming the animal is responding to one specific item. A 2009 CDC study found a possible association between food-source availability, including bird feed, and backyard raccoon latrines, but the result was not statistically significant. It is suggestive context, not proof that a particular food source causes raccoons to establish a latrine. The study and its limitations are described in CDC’s Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Secure the trash without relying on a product claim
Keep containers tightly closed. A locking strap or latch may help keep a lid closed, but no product’s effectiveness against raccoons is established here, and no trash accessory should be treated as raccoon-proof. Check the lid and closure after use; the practical goal is to prevent access to the contents.
A strap or latch is a practical option only insofar as it helps keep a container closed. It is not a substitute for the basic step CDC recommends, and there is no evidence here to rank different accessories or claim that a particular model deters raccoons. Likewise, the guidance does not establish a special bin, bowl, or commercial deterrent as necessary. Use the prevention step that fits your situation, and avoid interpreting a product label or feature as a guarantee.
Reduce shelter and denning opportunities
Raccoons can use openings to reach areas such as attics and basements. Close those openings, and cover sandboxes when they are not being used. The latter is a direct way to limit wildlife access to a place where children may later play and where feces could be a concern. CDC includes these measures in its prevention guidance.
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Think of shelter prevention separately from food removal: removing a bowl or securing a trash lid reduces access to food, while closing an opening addresses access to a place where an animal might shelter. Neither step guarantees that a raccoon will not travel through the yard, but each removes an opportunity described in CDC’s prevention advice. For recurring entry, a den, or a situation where you are unsure how to close an opening safely, ask local animal control for assistance.
Do not try to solve a den or recurring entry by approaching, trapping, handling, or relocating the raccoon yourself. USDA APHIS advises avoiding contact with wildlife and not relocating wildlife. Local rules and available assistance differ, so follow the direction of local authorities. USDA APHIS’s rabies FAQ addresses avoiding wildlife contact and keeping pets vaccinated.
Keep dogs away from raccoons and their feces
Do not allow a dog to approach or chase a raccoon. Keep the dog away from areas where raccoon feces are present, too. Raccoons can carry raccoon roundworm, and dogs can become infected; infection may occur without obvious symptoms. Ask a veterinarian whether deworming or parasite prevention is appropriate for the dog rather than trying to diagnose infection from appearance alone. CDC also describes dog exposure and parasite-prevention recommendations in its July 31, 2025 MMWR report.
Keep the dog’s rabies vaccination current under local requirements. Vaccination is an important part of pet protection, but it does not make contact with a wild animal safe. CDC advises keeping pets away from wildlife and seeking case-specific advice after a possible exposure. CDC’s rabies prevention and control guidance covers these precautions.
In practice, the dog’s routine is part of the prevention plan: feed indoors, prevent access to wildlife food and water, and do not let the dog investigate a raccoon or a place where feces are visible. If you discover feces in an area the dog uses, keep the dog out while you arrange careful cleanup. Do not assume that a dog is protected from roundworm because it appears well, or that a current rabies vaccination makes an encounter harmless. Parasite prevention and rabies follow-up are different questions for a veterinarian.
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If your dog may have eaten raccoon feces
Contact your veterinarian and explain what happened, including whether the dog may have eaten feces or contacted a raccoon. Ask the veterinarian what follow-up is appropriate, including whether parasite prevention or deworming should be considered. Do not wait for visible symptoms before asking for advice: dogs may be infected without obvious signs. Keep the dog away from the affected area while you arrange safe cleanup.
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If you are not certain whether the material was raccoon feces, explain the uncertainty rather than trying to identify a health risk on your own. CDC’s guidance is to avoid contact with raccoons and their feces, and its July 31, 2025 MMWR report discusses dog exposure and parasite-prevention recommendations. Your veterinarian can apply that general guidance to your dog’s circumstances. The material here does not establish a home test or a treatment schedule.
If your dog encountered a raccoon
If the dog may have been bitten or otherwise exposed to a wild raccoon, contact a veterinarian promptly for instructions. Do not handle the raccoon or try to inspect it at close range. A possible rabies exposure needs prompt, case-specific guidance; the veterinarian may direct you to local public-health or animal-control officials. Local requirements and rabies patterns vary, so avoid relying on a general online answer to decide what follow-up is needed.
Describe the encounter as accurately as you can, including whether there may have been a bite or other contact and whether the dog’s vaccination is current. Do not delay seeking advice while trying to determine the raccoon’s health or decide on your own that the encounter was harmless. If a person may also have been exposed, contact a healthcare provider or local health department promptly as well.
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Raccoon feces can contain raccoon roundworm eggs. CDC advises careful removal of feces and contaminated materials, and says prompt removal before eggs become infectious reduces exposure risk. Keep dogs and other people away from the area while it is being addressed. Do not treat feces as ordinary yard waste or let a dog investigate the spot.
CDC’s Preventing Raccoon Roundworm, updated November 5, 2024, states: “Raccoon roundworm can be prevented by avoiding contact with raccoons or their feces.” That is why keeping a dog away from a contaminated area matters even when the dog has not encountered a raccoon directly. The guidance calls for careful removal; it does not mean that every location or amount should be handled in the same way.
Use CDC’s guidance on raccoon roundworm and contaminated materials for cleanup instructions appropriate to the setting. If the amount is extensive, the location is difficult to clean, or you are uncertain how to handle it safely, contact a professional or local health authority rather than improvising a cleanup method. The appropriate response depends on the situation; the prevention guidance does not make every cleanup setting the same.
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Keep children and pets away until the area has been addressed. Do not invent a cleanup procedure from a general yard-maintenance tip: CDC’s roundworm information covers feces and contaminated materials, and local health officials or a qualified professional can help when the site or extent of contamination is unclear. The key prevention point is prompt, careful handling that avoids contact and reduces exposure.
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- Call a veterinarian promptly if the dog may have been bitten or otherwise exposed to a raccoon, or if the dog may have eaten raccoon feces. Ask about case-specific follow-up, vaccination status, and parasite prevention.
- Contact local animal control for recurring entry into a structure or a den. Do not approach, handle, trap, or relocate a raccoon yourself.
- Contact a healthcare provider or local health department if a person may have been bitten or otherwise exposed to a wild raccoon. Seek instructions promptly rather than trying to assess rabies risk without local guidance.
- Contact a professional or local health authority if raccoon feces or contaminated materials are extensive or you are unsure how to remove them safely.
For possible rabies exposure, CDC and USDA APHIS both emphasize avoiding wildlife contact and getting appropriate guidance. The next step depends on the circumstances and local public-health direction; a general prevention checklist cannot determine an individual animal’s rabies status.
These calls address different problems. A veterinarian advises about the dog’s health, including possible feces ingestion, parasite prevention, vaccination status, or an encounter. Animal control is the local contact for recurring entry or a den. A healthcare provider or health department should be contacted if a person may have been exposed. A professional or local health authority can advise about extensive or uncertain feces cleanup. When an event involves more than one of these situations, contact the relevant professionals rather than waiting for one general answer to cover everything.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the evidence does—and does not—show about attractants
A 2009 CDC Emerging Infectious Diseases study examined backyard raccoon latrines and possible attractants. It reported an odds ratio of 1.9, with a 95% confidence interval of 0.9–4.1, for the association between food-source availability and latrines. The result was not statistically significant, and the authors noted that low statistical power may have limited the assessment. It does not establish that bird feed or any other single source causes raccoons to create latrines. The practical case for securing food, water, trash, and shelter comes from CDC prevention guidance, not from treating that study as proof of a specific cause.
The evidence-backed approach is therefore straightforward: remove easy access to food and water, close shelter openings, protect the dog from wildlife and feces, and get local help when there is recurring entry, a den, contamination, or possible exposure. There is no basis here for ranking commercial repellents or devices, or for promising that any yard can be made entirely raccoon-proof.
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There is no evidence-backed comparison here that supports ranking commercial repellents or devices. A useful comparison is the problem each prevention action addresses:
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- Food: moving dog meals indoors and not leaving pet food outside removes an accessible food source near the dog’s routine.
- Trash: tightly closing containers limits access to food scraps; a strap or latch is only a possible aid to keeping the lid closed, not a proven wildlife barrier.
- Water: preventing access to water and considering whether a pond or another water source draws wildlife addresses a possible attractant.
- Shelter: closing openings to attics and basements addresses entry to structures; covering sandboxes when unused limits wildlife access to that area.
- Dog protection: keeping the dog away from raccoons and feces reduces contact directly, while a veterinarian can advise on parasite prevention and possible exposures.
- Local assistance: animal control, health officials, or a professional become relevant for dens, recurring building entry, possible exposure, or extensive/uncertain contamination—not for routine changes to where a dog eats.
This framing helps prioritize changes without implying that one measure replaces the others. Food and trash steps do not address a den; closing an opening does not make an exposed dog safe; and rabies vaccination does not remove the need to avoid wildlife contact. Choose the step that matches the access or exposure concern, and seek local direction for situations that call for it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I keep raccoons away from my dog?
Do not leave pet food outdoors, prevent wildlife access to food and water, keep trash tightly closed, and keep your dog away from raccoons and areas with raccoon feces. Close openings to attics and basements and cover unused sandboxes. These measures reduce opportunities for raccoons; they cannot guarantee a raccoon-proof yard.
How do I keep raccoons out of dog food?
Feed your dog indoors and do not leave food outside. Also prevent wildlife from reaching water provided for the dog and keep trash containers tightly closed, since scraps can remain accessible there. A bowl, feeder, strap, or latch is not established as a raccoon deterrent; focus on preventing access.
Will a raccoon attack my dog?
The guidance here does not predict how a particular raccoon will behave. Keep your dog away from wild raccoons rather than allowing it to approach or chase one. If your dog may have been bitten or otherwise exposed, contact a veterinarian promptly for case-specific advice; do not approach or handle the raccoon.
What should I do if my dog ate raccoon poop?
Contact your veterinarian and explain what happened, even if your dog seems well. Dogs can be infected with raccoon roundworm without obvious symptoms, and a veterinarian can advise whether deworming or parasite prevention is appropriate. Keep the dog away from the area while you arrange careful cleanup using CDC guidance.
Can I clean raccoon feces in my yard myself?
CDC advises careful removal of raccoon feces and contaminated materials, and prompt removal before roundworm eggs become infectious reduces exposure risk. Follow CDC instructions appropriate to the setting. If the amount is extensive, the location is difficult, or you are unsure how to proceed safely, contact a professional or local health authority.
When should I call animal control?
Contact local animal control for recurring entry into a structure or a den. Do not approach, trap, handle, or relocate the raccoon yourself. Local rules and available help vary.
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What if a person may have been exposed to a raccoon?
Contact a healthcare provider or local health department promptly for instructions after a possible bite or other exposure. Avoid handling the animal and do not try to decide rabies risk from a general online checklist; local public-health guidance is important.
The Bottom Line
To reduce raccoon visits, remove access to pet food, water, and trash; close shelter openings; and keep dogs away from raccoons and feces. If a dog or person may have been exposed, or raccoons are denning or repeatedly entering a structure, contact the appropriate veterinarian, health authority, or animal control promptly. No product or routine can promise a raccoon-proof yard.
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