evidence: A porcupine quill piercing through skin is a cause for concern. Due to overlapping scales and a barb, penetrating quills are difficult to remove. Quills can travel through a pet’s body causing great harm to internal organs. If your pet has embedded quills (usually the face and muzzle), try to keep your pet from pawing at them and contact a veterinarian immediately. Do not cut the end off of quills as this will make it easier for the quill to migrate into the body. Take care to ensure all quills are removed. A porcupine can cause damage to orchards, tree plantings, wood lots, and gardens. Valuable trees can be damaged and eventually killed by porcupine removal of bark around the trunk, making the tree more susceptible to disease, insects, and birds. A porcupine’s need for salt can lead to undesirable interactions with people. Porcupines will chew on plywood structures, wooden tools, leather boots, and undercarriages of vehicles to satisfy this important biological need. To avoid or reduce damage and make your property less attractive to porcupines, consider the following options.