According to information from the National Pet Owners Survey, approximately 68 percent of all households in the U.S. own pets. This means that 85 million families have a four-legged friend at home.
While pets add a lot of joy to your home, you also have a responsibility to keep them safe and sound. Just like children, pets need constant supervision – especially if you have a young animal, such as a kitten or puppy. If you want to protect your pets, you have to think of everything – including possible electrical hazards.
Electrical hazards and pets are particularly concerning because electrical shocks may be life-threatening. If you own a pet, make sure you use the tips found here to keep them safe from all types of electrical hazards.
Gnawing Hazards
Birds and small mammals have a bad habit of gnawing on all sorts of things. This may wind up exposing your electrical cords. You need to try to place your furniture strategically, so your pets are unable to get to them.
Wrap or Encase Your Wires
In some situations, it’s challenging to hide all the wires in your home. If this is the situation, you should consider encasing or wrapping them. You can find PVC and flexible safety cables at most hardware stores. From an aesthetic point of view, it’s not a perfect solution, but remember – safety first.
Make the Cords and Wires Taste Bad
Most kids hate some types of foods because of the way they taste. What you may not know is that pets are the same way. You can buy a pet deterrent spray from a local pet shop and coat the electrical cords. This will discourage your pets from chewing on them.
Be Careful with Holiday Décor
When December rolls around (and maybe other holidays, too) lights are a given for many people. Your pets are probably going to be tempted to play or gnaw on them because they are new and interesting. You should be extra careful to ensure your pets don’t hurt themselves at this time.
Injuries Caused by Tangling
Electrical shock isn’t the only potential issue with wires. If you have several cables that are close to each other, you may discover your pet gets injured or tangled in them. Be sure to take steps to prevent this, too.
Give Your Pets Plenty of Toys
Make sure your pet has plenty of toys to keep them occupied. Remember, there are some cat or dog breeds that have more energy, so you need to understand their specific needs.
Train Your Pets
While this tip requires time and patience, if you don’t have these qualities, then pets may not be right for you – you must train your pet. You can teach your dog to stop chewing on your furniture and you can train your cat to stay off of your counters. This means you can also teach them to stay away from your wires and other electric components.
For further questions or help with your electrical needs, contact Fusion Electric today.
