KEEPING FAMILY PETS SAFE FROM WILDLIFE

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.