Raccoons, opossums, mice, bats and birds can all be adorable
and fun to watch, but some people just don’t understand the potential dangers
that these forms of wildlife can pose to their family and pets. An encounter
with even a small and seemingly harmless wild animal that finds their way onto
your property can result in serious consequences for you, your children and
your dogs and cats.
Wild mammals and birds can damage your property, upset trash
receptacles and set up 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 potentially
deadly 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 that there needs to be an imminent danger
to your kids, dogs and cats. In fact,
there are some very simple steps that you can take to minimize the potential
risk of an unwanted wildlife encounter:
●
Keep Trash Bins
Securely Covered
Squirrels, rats, raccoons, opossums
and wild cats all love to rummage through garbage that contains scraps of
food. By keeping trash in tightly tied
bags and in cans with secure lids, you eliminate a major source of attraction
for wildlife.
●
Make sure your
Fence is in Good Condition
Fixing holes or replacing missing
planks in the fence around your property keeps rabbits, raccoons and many other
mammals off of your property. A secure
boundary really minimizes the chances for 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 still find their way into your yard.
If your dogs are out roaming for extended periods they have a greater
chance of coming across a wild animal that has made its way onto your
property. If the animal has a nest or a
food source nearby they may become aggressive and look to protect instead of
escape. This can result in serious
injury to both your pet and the wild animal.
●
Keep Cats
Indoors
Cats are
natural hunters and are not necessarily deterred by your fence. If there is a
bird or rabbit in a neighbor's yard,
they will likely give chase. A cat who exits the confines of your property is
at a much greater risk of injury due to a wild animal attack, but to other
dangers (like traffic, poison or traps left out by others for wild animals,
etc.)
●
Ultrasonic Pest
Protection
Ultrasonic pest repellents use high
frequency sound waves to drive away a variety of pests, rodents and
insects. For homeowners who are looking
for a hands off and mess free method of keeping unwanted pests out of their
home, this can be a safe and effective solution.
Ultrasonic repellents are safe for
humans and family pets (you can’t hear the sounds, neither can your pets, there
are no poisons and no danger of pets or kids suffering the injuries that can
occur from snap traps). After the fast
and easy initial setup, there is nothing to do but allow the device to work
driving away unwanted pests.
In addition to the steps above, simply avoiding contact with
wildlife is also a major factor in keeping pets and family members safe. Don’t leave food out for wild animals, don’t
intentionally engage 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 measures mentioned above can still find themselves in a position
where a wild animal has entered their home or garage and is posing a potential
threat. In these instances it is
important that the situation is handled properly to minimize the risk.
It’s never a good idea to attempt to poison a wild animal on
your property. Poison baits have
elements that attract wildlife (they look and smell like food), which may also
attract your family pets.
Cornering a wild animal is also not advisable. Raccoons, opossums and birds can all become
very territorial, especially if they have a nest nearby. Cornering them can insight an attack, which
can result in serious injury for any people or pets in the area.
If a wild animal has set up residence in your home, garage or
yard or is posing a threat to your family it makes sense to enlist the help of
a professional. A wildlife
control expert can quickly analyze the wildlife threat on your
property and take the best steps toward removal in a manner that ensures the
safety of your family and your pets and with minimal risk to the wild
animal. A trained wildlife control
expert can also suggest the best methods for cleaning and sanitizing the area
after removal and help set up protective measures to minimize the chances or
future unwanted encounters.
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