How to keep pets safe when they are home alone
P
ets are such a huge part of our family and there will always come a time when you can not watch them or be home with them around the clock. You do not need to feel guilty about this as your pet will learn to fit in with your lifestyle, as long as the following measures are taken to keep them safe and occupied.
The very first thing that can be done by every great pet owner is to provide your pet with enough enrichment, exercise and a complete diet that they do not need to be destructive or go wondering looking for things to do.
Toys that can be filled with food such as a Kong for dogs or hanging seed rings for birds will keep your pet mentally and physically stimulated as well as distracted when you are not home.
Desexing or neutering your dog and/or cat is a surgical procedure performed by a veterinarian that prevents your pet from being able to reproduce. If dogs and cats are neutered at an early age, they don’t sense or respond to female pheromones, are less stressed and tend to stay home.
I.D tags are very important for all pets (that wear a collar) to have on their collar at all times. If your pet gets lost and someone finds him/her they will be able to read your pets identification tags to learn its name as well as get in touch with you, the owner, and return the pet safely home. View our range of pet I.D tags here.
A microchip is a permanent method of electronic identification. The chip itself is very small, about the size of a grain of rice. Each chip has a unique number that is detected using a microchip scanner. The microchip number is recorded on a database registry with details about the animal and owner. Should your pet stray or become lost, vets, animal shelters and local councils can scan your pet for a microchip and contact you via the database.
It is very important to keep your contact details up to date on the database so that if you move house or change your phone number you will still be contactable in the event of your pet becoming lost/stray.
Make sure your pet is registered with your local council, most councils give discounts for desexed pets and registration is for the life of your pet unless you change councils.
Modern technology allows you to interact with your pet or simply keep an eye on them even if you are nowhere near home.
Video monitors are a great way to allow this to happen. They simply link to an app on your phone and with a 2-way microphone you can even give commands or scold bad behaviour before it has a chance to escalate.
In-Ground Fence System is one of the most affordable ways to keep your dog safe and secure in his/her own backyard. Your dog will hear a warning tone as he/she nears the boundary you established followed by a quick correction if your dog attempts to cross it. The lightweight, adjustable collar is the perfect complement to the newfound freedom your dog will experience on their own turf.
If the worst is to happen and your pet does escape, view our page on What steps to take to bring your pet home safely.