No poisons. No chemicals. No risk to your dogs, cats, or children. Just professional trapping that actually works — with a 60-day guarantee.
Most gopher control companies in Southern California rely on rodenticide bait — zinc phosphide, diphacinone, and strychnine-based products — because it's fast and inexpensive. But for any household with dogs, cats, or children, gopher poison creates serious risks that outweigh the cost savings.
The danger comes from two directions. First, direct exposure: gophers frequently push bait out of their tunnels. Once above ground, that bait is accessible to any dog that sniffs around the yard. Second, secondary poisoning: when a cat or dog catches and eats a poisoned gopher, they absorb whatever rodenticide is in the gopher's body. There is no antidote for most gopher baits. A poisoning event means an emergency vet visit and, in some cases, death.
Riverside County's open space and wildlife corridors compound the problem. Hawks, owls, and coyotes throughout Lake Elsinore, Perris, and the foothills regularly prey on gophers — secondary poisoning from rodenticide baits kills raptors across Riverside County every year.
Most gopher bait has no antidote. Symptoms of gopher bait poisoning in dogs include tremors, seizures, and respiratory failure — typically within 30 minutes to 2 hours of ingestion. If you suspect exposure, contact the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 and an emergency veterinarian immediately.
Professional traps are set entirely underground inside the gopher's tunnel system. Nothing is placed on the surface. Your dog can dig, sniff, and play across the entire yard without any exposure risk. No bait, no residue, no secondary poisoning hazard.
Professional trapping is both the safest and most effective gopher control method available to Riverside County homeowners.
The technician walks your property to locate active gopher tunnels by probing for hollow spots below the surface. Fresh mounds indicate where the gopher is currently feeding.
Professional traps (Macabee or Cinch style) are set inside the gopher's main tunnel run — completely underground. Irrigation flags mark each trap location. Your pets can roam freely above.
The technician returns to check and reset traps. Carbon monoxide may be added to reach deeper nest areas. Service continues until no new activity appears — backed by a 60-day guarantee.
We provide pet-safe gopher control information for all cities currently served in Riverside County. Click your city for local gopher activity information and service details.
HOA communities, master-planned neighborhoods, foothills terrain
Fast-growing suburb, newer construction, young family neighborhoods
Agricultural, equestrian, and residential mix — horse property specialists
Hillside developments, open space borders, raptor habitat zones
One of California's fastest-growing cities, new homeowners, open land borders
Larger lots, lower density, multi-dog households, open neighborhoods
Horse Town USA — equestrian properties, barn cats, pasture gopher damage
Agricultural history, open land, Perris Valley raptor populations
County seat, Santa Ana River greenbelts, established irrigated neighborhoods
Our recommended Riverside County provider is Rodent Guys — trapping specialists serving the area since 2011 with a 60-day guarantee on all gopher services. No contracts required.
Everything you need to know about keeping your pets safe while eliminating gophers from your property.
The two poison exposure pathways every pet owner should understand — and how trapping eliminates both.
Read guide →Specific chemicals, symptoms, and what to do if you suspect your dog was exposed to gopher bait.
Read guide →How a poisoned gopher becomes a danger to your cat or dog — and the wildlife in your neighborhood.
Read guide →Which trap types are truly safe for pet-occupied yards and which ones aren't.
Read guide →What your HOA can require, what they prohibit, and why trapping is always HOA-compliant.
Read guide →Why Southern California gophers are a year-round problem — and the peak seasons to watch for.
Read guide →