Is Pest Control Safe for Pets?

One of the most frequent questions pest control specialists in Alaska hear from clients is whether or not the pest control methods we use are safe for pets. It’s absolutely understandable to have this concern if you have pets in your home, considering cats and dogs especially will get into pretty much anything if it’s left out and they’re unsupervised.

In general, you can assume pest control is safe if you have pets in your home, so long as you are a responsible pet owner. Of course, there are some steps you should take if you are planning on using any insecticides, pesticides or rodenticides around your pets:

• Directions: Make sure you carefully read all of the directions provided by the manufacturer on the label of the product. These directions are there for a reason: to keep you safe during usage. Follow all of those directions to the letter—otherwise, you might create an unsafe environment for your pets or family members.
• Remove pets: Make sure you remove pets from any areas where you will be applying pesticides before you actually begin doing so. Do whatever you need to do to block those areas off until it is safe for the pets to reenter. This might be as simple as keeping a door closed, but if that’s not an option, you may need to set up some gates or barricades. The amount of time you need to keep the pets away from the area should be indicated on the packaging with the usage instructions.
• Remove pet belongings: In addition to removing the pets from the area where you will be using the product, make sure you also remove all of the pet’s belongings, including food, water, bedding, toys, treats and anything else they might need. Not only will this ensure they remain in easy access, but it will also prevent them from potentially being affected by the treatments you’re using.
• Be smart about placement: If you have to place baits down as part of your pest control measures, make sure you place them in areas where you know your pet won’t be able to access them.
• Consider pet-friendly solutions: If you’re using your own pest control measures, you should consider some organic products that are non-toxic and safe to use around pets and children.

Of course, there is always going to be at least a small chance that your pet could fall ill due to pesticide poisoning. Some of the biggest symptoms you’re most likely to see include vomiting, nausea, diarrhea or excessive drooling.

If you have any reason to believe your pet may potentially have been poisoned by pesticide products, contact a local animal poison control center or emergency veterinarian for instructions. You may need to bring your pet in for immediate treatment. So long as you act quickly, your pet should be okay.

Additionally, hiring a professional pest control company to handle any infestations in your home or yard may be a better approach than going the DIY route. Professional pest control technicians can tell you which methods will be most effective while also being safe for your pets.

To learn more about pest control and pets in Alaska and how you can safely use pest control methods around your cats or dogs, contact the team at Pied Piper Pest Control today.

Categorised in: Pest Control, Questions & Answers

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