How to Protect Your Pets From Household Electrical Hazards

You likely already take precautions around your home to ensure your family’s safety against electrical hazards. Don’t forget about your furry family members as well! If you’re consulting with an electrician in Red Deer, they can offer you individualized suggestions about how to keep the pets in your household safe from electrical hazards. Here are some basics you can get started with in the meantime.

Clean Up Loose Cords

In the eyes of a pet, a loose cord might look like an exciting new plaything. Of course, they are oblivious to the potential dangers of this “toy.” Some things you can do to avoid this include putting away chargers when you’re done with them and using cord organizers to contain messy nests of cables.

While dogs can — and certainly do — chew on cords, it’s often a particular concern with cats. Feline hunting instincts often keep a cat on the lookout for items such as loose cords, which may look suspiciously like a rodent’s tail.

Unplug Unused Electronics

It’s a common tip to unplug electronics and appliances when you’re not using them to save money on your electric bills. For many of us, this seems like an extra inconvenience just to save a few dollars. However, there’s another great reason to get into the unplugging habit, and that’s to minimize the potential electrical hazards for your pet.

Sometimes our pets don’t always do what we want them to do. That’s just a part of life with furry friends. Because of this, Fluffy may inevitably play with or chew on a cord at some point. Luckily, you can anticipate such a moment by unplugging items you’re not using. You might end up with a ruined charger or toaster either way, but at least your pet will still be safe.

Train Your Pet

Anyone who owns a pet, especially a cat or a dog, can bear witness to their high intelligence. Some are easier to train than others, but practically any cat or dog should be capable. Even if you don’t have time to train Spot how to jump through hoops or play dead, it’s essential to at least find some time for safety training.

Dogs tend to be especially eager to please their owners. A common command to teach a pup is “leave it.” With this command, you can order the dog to “leave” electrical cords alone. This is a great command that could be useful in many other situations as well.

Cats have a reputation as being difficult to train. While this isn’t necessarily untrue, it’s certainly possible due to their high intelligence. You may have to do some extra research or experiment with different rewards, but the effort is worth it to make sure the kitty stays safe.

In addition to training, there are different types of deterrents you can try out for both cats and dogs. If you’re concerned about chewing, there are sprays available to make surfaces taste bad to pets (if using near cords, make sure to use caution and unplug any nearby cables until the area is dry!). Some smells may keep pets away also. Make sure to ask a vet if using products like essential oils, as cats and dogs can be very sensitive to certain types.

Keep Up With Repairs

Perhaps one of the most dangerous hazards to a pet is wiring that is damaged or otherwise not functioning properly. Because of this and other safety reasons, it’s important to utilize electrical repair services as soon as a problem is found.

When you’re dealing with household hazards to humans or pets, you want to be sure you’re hiring someone who knows what they’re doing. Handyman Connection can help you find the best handymen and electricians in your area. Visit our website to try it out for yourself!