We are all working towards living a healthier and happier lifestyle and this includes our beloved pets. This can be especially challenging when it comes to dealing with outdoor pests and wildlife. Often when we experience the encroachment of bugs or insects into our household, many of us will reach for a can of insecticide. But these chemicals aren’t really a long-term solution to this type of a dilemma. For example, when it comes to bigger critters like rodents, according to wildlife management and removal experts, poisons and chemicals aren’t effective in the long run. They also endanger our pets who could consume or come into casual contact with them and become ill or succumb to these toxins themselves. Instead of using toxins and other dangerous chemicals in an attempt to eradicate these critters, there are many other ways we can protect our pets from outdoor threats more naturally. Let’s look at some of these more defensive measures that are less offensive to all animals involved.

#1 – Guardians of the Garden

Whether our outdoors spaces contain fruit-bearing plants or vegetables like in a garden, keeping these areas safe and secure will help deter outdoor creatures from bothering out pets. Be sure to be vigilant when it comes to these exterior areas and make them less inhabitable and unwelcome to unwanted critters.

• Regularly check fence lines for loose or cracked boards and repair as necessary
• Replace or repair faulty hinges and latches on gates
• Check for tunnels or holes underneath these boundaries where animals may be gaining unwanted access
• Get rid of standing water which not only attracts mosquitoes but other thirsty animals

If you do have a garden or fruit trees, keep them well-fenced and make sure to pick ripe vegetables and keep fruit cleared up that falls to the ground.

#2 – Policing Other Places

In addition to the aforementioned, be sure to keep hedges and other bushy plants trimmed and well-maintained. This will stop a number of different animals and reptiles from nesting in these areas and be calling them home. While you’re outdoors doing this type of yard work, be sure to keep branches cut back away from your house, garage and other outbuildings that will keep animals from gaining access to the roof of these structures. This will stop them from using chimneys or other openings like attic vents as a potential doorway into our homes.

#3 – Doors and Windows

Ensure all the doors and windows all around your home are properly sealed and there are no gaps or other small spaces present. Not only will this help with reducing energy costs, it will also stop insects and other animals from coming into your house. While it aids in helping to block insects from entry, some people aren’t aware rodents can fit through extremely small spaces, some as tiny as a hole the size of a pencil!

#4 – Visual Deterrents

Here’s a fun fact, there are actually more fake flamingos used as yard art and other decors in the USA than there are real ones! In a similar fashion, we can use these types of statuesque products to frighten certain types of pests away. Much in the same way scarecrows were used to deter these birds from bothering our gardens, reproductions of animals like owls, falcons or hawks can be used in our outdoor spaces to keep snakes and rodents at bay. So, it’s safe to say that we don’t have to reach for chemicals, sprays and other dangerous methods to protect our pets from outdoor threats. We can utilize these friendlier ways to let them all live in harmony, albeit not necessarily by occupying the same spaces.