The hot summer months are of particular concern to pet owners. On top of keeping themselves cool, they also need to worry about keeping their pet cool. Extreme heatwaves can cause serious problems, for dogs in particular, since they cannot communicate when they’re overheating, and a lot of fur can exacerbate that problem.
Yet another problem that pet owners face during the summer is keeping their pets safe from wild animals.
Why are wild animals more dangerous during hot months?
Like any other creature, wild animals are looking for a place to cool during a heatwave. This need can drive them towards human properties, which can then lead to a confrontation between your pet and the wild animal in question, which can be vicious, rabid, and cause lethal wounds.
What animals are dangerous?
The wild animals you’ll be dealing with will naturally be influenced by the area that you live in. Some areas, for example, are more prone to raccoons than others. Then, of course, there are the wild animals that are problematic regardless of area, like rats. While rats are less confrontational than we give them credit for, they can still harm your dog.
How can you prevent wild animals from coming into your home during the summer?
The best way to get rid of rats in your home during a summer heatwave is to minimize food sources. Remember that rodents, as well as other wild animals, are attracted to homes that offer shade but also nourishment. This is why it’s recommended that you keep your home extra tidy over the summer and always sweep away crumbs, leftovers, and so on immediately.
Other prevention methods include keeping your yard trimmed and well-maintained (wild animals are less likely to visit a home where they would be easy to spot since that could lead to confrontation).
You should also keep your windows and doors closed, and keep an eye on your pet door, to minimize the risk of wild animals sneaking into the home during the night.
If you’re worried about wild animal prevention, to safeguard your family and pets, it can always be a good idea to call a professional wildlife removal service like Nuisance Wildlife Pros. These experts also advise homeowners about prevention and tell you the main steps to take to protect your dog from wild animals. Speaking of which…
How can you protect your dog from a wild animal in your home?
Now, by their very nature, dogs tend to be curious creatures. So, it’s likely that your dog will want to investigate if it catches an unfamiliar scent on your property. Even if your dog isn’t aggressive, this could lead to trouble and possibly even a confrontation with the wild animal in question.
Most wild animals that flock to human dwellings, from rats to snakes and so on, tend to exist with a fight or flight mentality. If they feel threatened or cornered, they will attack your dog. The best thing you can do if there’s a wild animal is to keep your dog away from them. If the animal is indoors, make sure to take your dog to another home, if possible, or at least lock it in another room until you’ve removed the wild animal.
Next, call a professional wildlife removal service as soon as possible. We recommend that you look for humane removal services like humaneraccoonremoval.org. Just because an animal is bothersome or even dangerous to you, your family, or your pets, doesn’t mean you need to kill it. You can either use some at-home humane removal and exclusion practices, like live trapping or call a professional who will trap the animal and release it in a safe area.
Lastly, you can train your dog to ignore animals such as squirrels (a particular nuisance for dogs). Use hidden snack games to take the dog’s focus and shift it away from potentially dangerous wild animals during a heatwave.
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