Keeping family pets safe from wildlife
Raccoons, opossums, mice, bats, and birds can be adorable and fun to watch, but some people just don’t understand the potential dangers these forms of wildlife can pose to their families and pets. An encounter with even a small, seemingly harmless wild animal that makes its way onto your property can have serious consequences for you, your children, and your luxury cats and dogs.
Wild mammals and birds can damage your property, tip over garbage cans, and establish nests in your yard, shed, or even in accessible areas of your home. Certain forms of wildlife carry fleas, lice, and ticks and can bring the threat of life-threatening diseases like rabies.
Simple steps to protect your family and pets
Even if you live in an area where wildlife sightings are very common, it doesn’t necessarily mean there is imminent danger to your children, dogs and cats. In fact, there are some very simple steps you can take to minimize the potential risk of an unwanted wildlife encounter:
Keep garbage containers well covered
Squirrels, rats, raccoons, opossums, and feral cats love to rummage through garbage that contains food scraps. By keeping garbage in tightly closed bags and in containers with secure lids, you eliminate a major source of attraction for wildlife.
Make sure your fence is in good condition
Repairing holes or replacing missing boards in the fence around your property keeps rabbits, raccoons, and many other mammals off your property. A safe boundary actually minimizes the chances of a potentially dangerous encounter between a wild animal and your pets or children.
Don’t leave pets outside unattended
Even with a solid fence, some animals will find a way into your yard. If your dogs are wandering around for extended periods of time, they have a higher chance of encountering a wild animal that has made its way onto your property. If the animal has a nest or food source nearby, it may become aggressive and seek protection rather than escape. This can cause serious injury to both your pet and the wild animal.
keep cats inside
Cats are born hunters and your fence doesn’t necessarily deter them. If there is a bird or rabbit in a neighbor’s yard, they are likely to chase it. A cat that wanders off the confines of your property is at much higher risk of injury from a wild animal attack, but other hazards (such as traffic, poison, or traps left by others for wild animals, etc.)
Ultrasonic Pest Protection
Ultrasonic pest repellers use high-frequency sound waves to drive away a variety of pests, rodents, and insects. For homeowners looking for a hands-off, no-mess method of keeping unwanted pests out of their home, this can be a safe and effective solution.
Ultrasonic repellers are safe for humans and family pets (you can’t hear the sounds, and neither can your pets, there are no poisons, and there is no danger of pet or child injuries that can occur with ultrasonic repellers). traps). After the quick and easy initial setup, there’s nothing to do but let the device work to ward off unwanted pests.
In addition to the steps above, simply avoiding contact with wildlife is also an important factor in keeping pets and family members safe. Do not leave food for wild animals, do not intentionally interact with them, and never encourage your pets to interact with wildlife.
Even those with the best of intentions and those who have taken the proactive steps mentioned above may find themselves in a position where a wild animal has entered their home or garage and poses a potential threat. In these cases, it is important that the situation is handled appropriately to minimize risk.
It is never a good idea to try to poison a wild animal on your property. Poison baits have elements that attract wildlife (they look and smell like food), which can also attract your family pets.
Cornering a wild animal is also not advisable. Raccoons, opossums, and birds can become very territorial, especially if they have a nest nearby. Cornering them can make you aware of an attack, which can cause serious injury to anyone or a pet in the area.
If a wild animal has taken up residence in your home, garage or yard or poses a threat to your family, it makes sense to seek professional help. A wildlife control expert can quickly analyze the threat of wildlife on your property and take the best steps to remove them in a way that ensures the safety of your family and pets and with minimal risk to wildlife.
A trained wildlife control expert can also suggest the best methods for cleaning and disinfecting the area after removal and help set up protective measures to minimize the chances of future unwanted encounters.