How To Keep Domestic Animals Off Your Property
The presence of unknown domestic animals on your property can present a number of problems and may even be dangerous to your family and pets. Even if the animals are harmless in terms of safety, they can be destructive and end up costing you time and money. If you wish to keep these animals off of your property there are steps that you can take to keep them away.
- Talk to your neighbors about keeping their pets off of your property. This is particularly important if the animal is digging, defecating or otherwise damaging your yard or items in it. As the animal's owner, they are ultimately responsible for their pets actions. When speaking to neighbors, try to keep it civil when making your request to avoid any tension or bad feelings.
- Put up a fence. A fence will help to keep stray dogs off your property, but won't be much help when it comes to keeping cats or rodents away.
- Contact your area's SPCA or animal control agency if strays are coming onto your property. Not only will you keep potentially feral or rabid animals away from your yard and home, but you may also save them from starvation or potentially being hit by passing cars.
- Buy motion detecting sprinklers for your lawns. They will be activated if animals step on your grass, wetting them in the process. This is a particularly good deterrent for cats, as they dislike getting wet.
- Invest in an ultrasonic animal repeller, which are motion-activated and turn on when animals come near. The device will emit a sound that is inaudible to human ears but unpleasant to animals.
- Place citrus peels around flower beds or gardens if cats are using them as litter boxes. Cats find the smell of citrus offensive and will often avoid it. The citrus peels will need to be replaced as they lose their scent.
- Put out plants that deter domestic animals. Geraniums, lavender, rue and coleus canina, which is also known as the “Pee-Off ”plant and “Scardy Cat” coleus, are all plants that cats and dogs will steer clear of.