Protect Pets from Pesticides When using pesticides or other chemical-based products around the house, prevent pets from accessing treated areas after application. Homeowners use pesticides in their yards for a variety of reasons. Some utilize pesticides to make their lawns appear lush and healthy, while others must use pesticides to address issues like insect infestations. Applying pesticides is often frowned upon by environmentalists, but it’s not just Mother Earth who can suffer from the use of pesticides. If your family pet loves to get outdoors and run around in the yard, you might be putting your four-legged friend in danger if you’re not careful when applying pesticides. Exposure to pesticides can make pets sick and, in some instances, prove fatal. But pet owners can reduce that risk significantly by adhering to the following tips. Remove pets and their items from the lawn before applying pesticide. It’s a no-brainer to move Fido inside before applying pesticide to your lawn. But homeowners should also scour the yard for toys, bedding and feeding dishes and move them inside or into the garage before applying a pesticide. Pet health could be at risk if such items are left in the yard and get even a drop or two of pesticide on them. Therefore, carefully scour the yard for your pet’s belongings, raking high grass to find toys or bones when necessary, before applying pesticides. Adhere to the instructions on the pesticide label. The label on the pesticide you choose should have specific instructions as to how much pesticide you should apply and how long you must wait before allowing anyone, including the family pet, to gain access to the treated area. If you let your pet back in the area too quickly, the animal could be poisoned. Be careful inside, too. Chemical products are not only used to treat lawns. If you need to use a chemical product like a bug bomb indoors, keep pets in mind before application. Remove bedding, feeding dishes and toys, and cover your fish tank to prevent liquid and vapors from getting into the tank and threatening the lives of your fish. Keep areas treated for pests off limits to pets. If you have a pest problem in your home, be it insects or rodents, keep any areas you treat with chemical products off limits until the issue has been successfully resolved. Even if pets aren’t in the room during or after application, they can still be poisoned if they eat poisoned insects or rodents. This is called secondary poisoning, and pet owners concerned about their pets but still in need of a way to eradicate pests should look for a product with a low risk for secondary poisoning. Keep bait products out of the reach of your pets. Bait products are often effective because they’re attractive to insects or rodents. Unfortunately, the same properties that attract pests might also attract your companion animal. When using bait products around the house, be sure to place them beyond the reach of your pets. If you’re using bait products that you must bury outdoors, keep in mind that dogs and maybe even cats can often dig these products up rather easily. So once the bait is planted, make the area off limits to your pets.
North Central Iowa Pet Directory • A publication of The Messenger • July 2022
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