You don’t like to be cooped up in the house all the time, and your pets probably don’t, either. Give your animal friends some enrichment by letting them play outside! Before you open that patio door, though, make sure your yard is free of common hazards and potential dangers. Follow these top tips to keep your pets safe in your backyard.
Install a Fence
Keep dogs, cats, and rabbits from wandering off your property by fencing it in, both for their safety and for the welfare of the environment. Cats in particular are avid hunters and can have a devastating effect on local bird and small animal populations. Plus, keeping them contained will shelter them from traffic and larger predators.
Be Wary of Chemicals
What fertilizers and insecticides do you use for your garden? If you have a pool or hot tub in the yard, what are you using to keep the water clean?
Pets love to taste anything in their reach. Avoid letting your furry friends loose in the yard right after you’ve fertilized. Read the instructions and wait the appropriate period before letting your pet out to play.
If you have a pool that needs cleaning, use pet-safe chemicals to balance and sanitize the water. Continue to keep an eye on your pets; a single sip of pool water won’t hurt, but keep fresh water for them nearby.
Mow Your Lawn
Prevent your pet from picking up ticks and fleas by keeping your grass neat and trim. Ticks in particular love to hide in tall grasses and brush, so eliminate their hiding spots! Avoid extra trips to the vet and rounds of medicine by maintaining your lawn.
Put Away Tools
After you’ve finished raking up leaves in your yard, put the rake away. The same goes for any gardening tools, from trowels to tillers. Have a designated space for yard equipment, like a shed, and put that equipment away when you’re done with it. Sharp, rusty edges can injure a curious pet.
Choose Pet-Safe Plants
You may not want your pets to nibble on leaves and flowers, but they’ll likely do it anyway when your back is turned. Be careful with what you plant if you like to let your pets play in the yard.
Dogs are highly allergic to daffodils, azaleas, English ivy, and several other plants. Cats can’t tolerate azaleas or daffodils either, as well as tulips, Easter lilies, and anything in the allium family (no onions or garlic!).
Ask your vet about pet-friendly plants. Roses, sunflowers, and snapdragons can coexist with your furry friends.
If you like to let your four-legged friends romp around your yard, follow these top tips to keep your pet safe in your backyard. Make it an enriching—and secure!—environment for them.