2 Ways to Ensure Safe Pest Control for Pets

Pests are living organisms that occur where they are not wanted or that cause damage to desirable plants, humans, or other animals. They include not only insects but also weeds, disease organisms such as fungi and bacteria, certain animals, and other organisms. –MU.edu

Concerns for safe pest control for pets is highest during the warmer months. Homeowners may have lawn and garden services that utilize weed-control to keep their yards and plants healthy. Pets can also suffer serious illnesses from fleas and ticks. Well-meaning pet-owners sometimes apply pesticides directly to their pets’ coats.

1. Safe Pest Control for Pets When Treating Your Lawn

Pesticides are beneficial and necessary to maintain a good quality of life. But if your pet enjoys playing outdoors, safe pest control for pets is critical when spraying your yard and flowerbeds this year.

The NPIC (National Pesticide Information Center) recommends taking action before having your lawn and garden areas treated with pesticides:

• Remove pets from your yard before applying pesticides.
• Remove all pet toys, chew bones, food bowls, and bedding.
• Follow your pest control professional’s instructions before any pesticide lawn application.
• Keep pets out of the yard and away from lawn areas until the pesticide is completely dry. The pest control professional may have more detailed instructions.
• If granular lawn products are used, you may need to keep your pets indoors longer than 24 hours. Check with the pest control professional for guidance.

2. Insect and Rodent Pesticides: Safe Pest Control for Pets

You’d think some type of pesticide smell would prevent your pets from eating dangerous insect and/or rodent “bait.” But DIY (do-it-yourself) pest control products often use food ingredients appealing to pets. (FYI: Pets will dig up buried baits, too.)

In addition to direct poisoning, secondary poisoning (also called “relay” poisoning) can occur when your pets eat poisoned pests. Ways to protect your pets from insect and rodent pesticide poisoning include:

• Avoid setting attractive food-product traps (like bacon or peanut butter).
• Cats are very susceptible to the poison in and on glue-board pest traps. It’s not always about ingestion; cats have died because of stepping on these pesticide glue-board boxes.
• Dispose of poisoned pests and rodents immediately. If your pets eat them, they can get intestinal worms or toxoplasmosis in addition to secondary poisoning.
• If you must use traps or bait, make a pet-proof, rigid box only a mouse or rat could enter. (The diameter of the entry should not exceed 1½”.) Put the glue-boards, mousetraps, or food trails inside the box.
• Rats carry other diseases in addition to rabies. Regularly inspect your pets for signs of rodent bites.

Budget Brothers Termite and Pest Elimination for Your Community

Every community has rat and mice populations and nobody invites these rodents and other pests into their yards and homes.

If you live in the Maricopa County area, Budget Brothers Termite and Pest Elimination is your local pest control company. We care about your family’s safety and the well-being of your “extended” family; your pets. We have affordable, pet-safe solutions for pest control and will answer any questions prior to, or after treatment.

Contact Budget Brothers Termite and Pest Elimination today to discuss safe pest control for your pets.