How To Protect Your Pets From Outdoor Pests
Are you concerned that outdoor pests may hurt your pets? If you let your dogs and cats out—even within your own yard—they could be in danger. Though a dog or cat may be able to best a squirrel, gopher or rat, they can still get diseases from these animals. It's important to protect yourself and your furry family however you can.
Check Your Fencing on a Regular Basis
Look for any gaps at the bottom of your fence; you may be surprised how quickly an animal can dig their way in. Just a small one-inch gap may be enough space to let something creep through, and you may not realize that the soil is loose. Ideally, to actually protect your canines and kitties your fence should extend into the ground at least a few inches.
Look for Holes and Hills Around Your Yard
Small dirt mounts could be fire ants—which are a problem on their own—but they could also be gopher holes or mole holes. They could even be armadillos! You should always watch for holes because not only could they denote the presence of an animal (which should then be removed) but the holes themselves could also be dangerous. If your pup doesn't see them while racing around the yard, he could seriously hurt himself.
Set Traps at Night
Controlling wild animals in your yard can be a chore. It's not as though you can poison them—even if you want to, your animals could get sick, too. But setting a humane trap at night could be the answer. You can simply bait these traps with something smelly (like tuna fish or cat food) and then wait. Of course, don't put traps out too often, or you risk actually luring animals in.
Empty Out Your Yard
The more items you have within your yard, the more animals will see it as a potential home. Make sure that your grass is cut, that your bushes have not grown unruly and that you don't have any items like boxes or crates stalked outside. Otherwise you may not even notice animals that have taken up residence there—until your dogs start going wild.
If you do see an animal within or around your yard, call animal removal service, such as Wildlife Extractors, immediately. Even if you are certain that your yard is safe, your neighbors may not be. A wild animal in an urban or suburban area can represent a risk to children and other animals.
