Protect Your Pets from Predatory Threats

I am Rey Lancellotta. I am a Senior Girl Scout and I have been in Girl Scouts for 11 years. I am working on my Gold Award. What is a Gold Award? A Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest award you can receive in Girl Scouts. I have decided to do my Gold Award project on predatory animals and how to keep your pets safe from them. This article will be the first in a series of three, meant to inform readers about harmful wildlife and tips that they can use to keep their pets and livestock safe.

Have you been seeing an increase of wildlife that could harm your pets? Well, that could be because spring is when most animals come out from hibernation and have their babies. Mothers will be stressed with trying to find a den while surviving and fathers will be looking for food. With pups and kits around, mothers will be more hostile if you or your pet go near them or their den.

One of the easiest ways to keep your pets safe is to keep them inside or leashed when outside. One of the most common predators seen in our area are coyotes. Coyotes often have their pups around this time, and it would be smart to know about their behaviors and habits. During the Spring, coyotes will be looking for dens to have their pups in. They naturally avoid humans, so the chances of you encountering a coyote living close by is rare. Coyotes often hunt in packs, but before the hunt, they always send out at least one scout to find the prey, that is why they are mostly seen alone. Once they find their meal, they signal to the pack and they eat together. That’s when you hear them howl. They are celebrating their catch.

Cats should not be let outside on their own, as they can harm the ecosystem. They lower the population of other animals such as rodents and birds just for sport. Dogs outside should be leashed to keep them from wildlife dens. You should also only walk pets during daylight hours. If your dog needs to go out at night, shine a flashlight on it. The best thing to do if you want to not have your pets leashed but still be outside is by getting a backyard fence that is 6 feet tall, and at least 1 foot underground. This will help prevent most animals from getting in or out of your yard. There are some rare cases where cats can jump higher than 6 feet, but on average they can only jump around 5 feet. If you do find a predator in your yard, you can scare it off by making loud noises, flashing a light at them and waving your arms. If it is an animal that could cause serious threat, like a coyote, bobcat, fisher cat, or bear, do not turn your back or look away! They will see this as a sign of submission and decide that it means you’re prey.

I hope that these tips and information will be helpful for you and your animal companions. As stated, this article is the first in a series of three articles, and a new installment will be added to The Reporter each month.

Until next time, enjoy this beautiful spring weather with your pets.