Human and domestic pet contact with skunks should be avoided. If it is necessary to handle a skunk, wear impermeable rubber or plastic gloves. Damage Skunks become a problem when their feeding and burrowing activities conflict with man's interests. In urban areas, skunks damage gardens and lawns as well as expose humans and pets to several transmittable diseases, especially rabies. In rural areas, skunks can cause losses to poultry operations, expose livestock to disease and occasionally cause damage to crops.
Skunks can be a nuisance because of their odor.
All skunks have the ability to discharge a nauseating musk from their anal glands. They are capable of discharging their musk several times with accuracy to about 10 feet. Confrontation with pets often results with the pet being victimized by the skunk's spray. When skunks take shelter under buildings, their presence is not easily tolerated by occupants of the building. Because skunks can cause damage and are an important vector of rabies, it is often necessary to control individual members of a population when they are in conflict with man's health and economic interests.