Owl stuck down chimney

Had a call yesterday afternoon that a owl or something was down in the chimney and scratching and screeching and she wants it out! I told her that I could get it out and told her my fee for the job! She said she would call me back! Didn't call me back yet but hope she will today! I told her it would be 75$ just to come out and check the situation out and 50$ for each animal I take out! Was I asking to much on my price? I thought it was low priced for the job? What do you think?

It certainly wasn't unreasonable. We get more than that and Wisconsinites are cheap.

I was thinking the same thing but, a guy I work with told me that he would not ask me to come out if I charged a sub charge just to come out and he said what if it is something you can't do and you still want to be paid? I said yes for my time and gas coming out to your need! So should I charge for just coming out or should it be only added at the end if I do the job?

Try saying "The check out fee is figured/refunded in the final price", and adjust the price accordingly. So, $75 to come look, $125 for the first critter, and $50 for additional's.

That's what I charge.



And that's the answer I get all to often.

Stick to your guns. Your price is very fair.

The answer of "i will call you back" is basically a nope...i wont call you back...shrug shoulders and keep on workin

Yep. That is most likely the last you will hear from them.

We charge more than that. It's an easy sale for a chimney cap too.

First, don't disagree with anything anyone said about charging for your time or that it was an unreasonable ask.

Also don't disagree that 99% of the time "I'll think about and call you back" results in no call back.

On an owl in the chimney case in particular we always treat those as rescues and do them pro bono. If it is a true
rescue that is and not a family of raccoon living down in the chimney needing to be removed and chimney capped.

I will say as a disclaimer, once you are known for doing this you may get overrun with people wanting this help, but
you can control it.

We've cooperated with two primary wildlife rehabilitation centers since 2011 when we opened up shop, they are all
people who refer wildlife issues to us that most in the industry would like to have and work on, but they know we
also are willing and care about wildlife and will go out of our way to aid injured, orphaned or entrapped (down a chimney,
irrigation pit, window well) species as well.

Most rescues we've done people have offered payment (99% of them) and we have asked them to donate to the rescue centers
which are 501 (c) 3 non profits.

Not everyone has time, money or inclination to do this, or ability to make the time without sacrificing too much.

Just wanted to say, have rescued all manner of birds of prey and brought to officials and have created good working relationships
in the process with the kind of people we enjoy working with and who often refer us calls on a daily if not weekly basis.

Our statement to avoid being the only source of aid is that when we are in the area, and have time, we are glad to assist in rescuing injured or trapped wildlife in need of bringing to rehabilitation clinic, and because we span the entire state, we also offer up transfer of those same birds and mammals from homeowners in some outlying location we may be working in, into the major city areas where the centers are.

Worth thinking about with the next owl in the chimney, though again I don't disagree at all with the rates discussed, charging for this service, etc...

Just saying you can make some good contacts and for us we just purely enjoy being able to aid in these scenarios personally.

We all know "free" is a pitfall and you can become a target for everything anyone believes you will do for free, that hasn't happened to us and I do get lots of calls and requests each week for help, but they are wildlife related. They all know we may not have time and we've established this so no hard feelings ever if you don't have time or can't help.

Anyway, a sidebar I realize, but wanted to mention it.

Justin

Around here, if the customer wants pro bono work, they have the DNR and Humane Society. ( Good luck with those two ) We only do amateur bono and charge to get the dodo birds and passenger pigeons out of your chimney.

for that I get 85.00 set=up or house call fee just for showing up and 50 per critter minimum for trapping for me it may depend on what and how involved it is, if they dont want to pay and its with birds i may refer to our bird rescue we have some good ones. I do free work for widows, disabled vets, and the elderly that would have trouble paying this is mostly trapping and relocating.

Good info thanks guys! Also she did let me know that the person in need got someone else to do it! That's fine with me if they can get it done for free! I'm just not doing it!

I charge $95 to come out and let them know that is applied to any needed services. Typically for anything in the chimney I charge $150 after all is said and done