If you live in an urban area, you may not worry too much about wild animals getting into your dumpster. While you might think that the only animals that care about your trash are the neighbor's dogs, there are actually many species that could be attracted to whatever is in your dumpster. Some of them can make life unpleasant while others can simply scare you if you're not expecting to see them. Here are the types of animals that you're most likely to see when you walk out to your dumpster, even if you don't live in the country.

Rats

Some cities have a known rat problem, but even if yours doesn't, rats are everywhere. Not only do they love human and pet food, but they also like to eat and chew through materials that contain cellulose, such as drywall and insulation.

Raccoons

Raccoons are also everywhere, and will move from rural and suburban neighborhoods to the edges of urban areas in search of food. They will eat almost anything and can tear garbage bags apart, open containers and generally make messes. They can also carry diseases and parasites that can be harmful to humans and pets.

Skunks

Skunks prefer to live in the country, but once they move to urban areas they can be hard to get rid of. They usually get transplanted when they crawl into new pipes that are stored in rural or suburban areas and then transported by truck into cities for construction jobs. They make their homes under porches and storage sheds and can be very good at staying out of sight, coming out at night to scavenge for food. Like raccoons, they are surprisingly agile and can climb into dumpsters easily. They love things that smell like human food such as empty bottles, cans and boxes in your household recycling. In addition to carrying diseases, a scared skunk could spray you or your dog or cat.

Snakes

Snakes also stay out of sight and away from humans, but they like to seek out warm spots to raise their body temperature. They can be attracted to metal, concrete or other surfaces that warm up in the sun. Snakes can curl up amidst the trash in your dumpster, especially if it contains pieces of concrete, rock, metal or even tires. Snakes can slither up the side of a dumpster and nestle into crevices – when you disturb them by throwing trash into the container, they can be scary when they wake up and slink away quickly.

To keep raccoons and skunks out of your dumpster, make sure it has a secure, tight-fitting lid. If you are throwing away organic matter, try not to let it sit in the dumpster overnight. A lid won't be much help in keeping rats and snakes out because they can squeeze through incredibly small openings; however, they usually escape without doing much harm when disturbed by humans. If you find a raccoon or skunk in the container, don't attempt to climb in to kill or trap it. Cornered animals can panic and bite, so call animal control to remove them. Talk to your dumpster rental company, like Lakeshore Recycling, about animal-proof containers, or renting two separate containers for organic garbage and recyclables. They've probably had plenty of experience with animals in returned dumpsters and can give you the best advice on how to prevent urban wildlife from interrupting your cleanout project.