Keep 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 and seemingly harmless wild animal making its way onto your property can have dire consequences for you, your children, and your fancy dogs and cats.

Wild mammals and birds can damage your property, tip over trash receptacles, and establish nests in your yard, in your 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 such as 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 trash cans tightly covered

Squirrels, rats, raccoons, opossums, and feral cats love to scavenge through trash that contains food scraps. By keeping trash in tightly sealed bags and cans 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 planks in the fence around your property keeps rabbits, raccoons, and many other mammals off your property. A safe boundary really minimizes the chances of a potentially dangerous encounter between a wild animal and your pets or children.

Do not leave pets outside unattended

Even with a solid fence, some animals will find their way into your garden. If your dogs are roaming for extended periods, they are more likely to encounter 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’s a bird or rabbit in a neighbor’s yard, chances are they’ll chase it. A cat that strays from the confines of your property is at a much higher risk of injury due to attack by a wild animal, 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-free, 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 pets or children suffering the injuries that can occur with ultrasonic repellers). traps). After the quick and easy initial setup, there’s nothing to do but allow the device to run to drive away 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 can 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 the 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 alert you to an attack, which can result in serious injury to any person or 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 eliminate 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 establish protective measures to minimize the chances of future unwanted encounters.