Summer will be here before you know it! With warmer temps and longer days, many of us will be going poolside for fun with the whole family. Unfortunately, there’s one family member that might be better off away from the water: the family pet. Our dogs enjoy a swim as much as the rest of us, but when owners aren’t around to watch them, the pool can become a very unsafe place. Or maybe you aren’t a pet owner yourself, but you’re still finding that four-legged visitors are frequenting your pool— it’s not uncommon to see all sorts of animals, from cats to opossums to deer, in your yard.
It’s just not safe for animals to visit your pool unsupervised, and wild animals can also cause damage: think a ripped pool liner or a clogged drain. Because of all this, it’s important that you develop a system for keeping animals away from the poolside.
Your first and best line of defense is a quality fence. You’re going to want something that’s tall enough to prevent smaller animals from climbing and larger ones from jumping over it. Chain link is not the best choice, as the holes in it give animals lots of room to grab on and climb over. Wood is a better option, because it lacks those gaps, but keep in mind what kind of animals you’re keeping out; cats can sink their claws into wood and climb over very easily. Consider instead something like a vinyl fence. These are typically several feet tall, so they will be much harder to jump, and they are slippery enough that it will be difficult for a clawed animal to get any kind of grip. When installing your fence, make sure that there aren’t any gaps at the bottom that critters can crawl underneath.
Other methods of keeping animals out will depend on what species you are dealing with. For insect problems, burning citronella candles has been proven to discourage bugs from coming into the area. If you’re dealing with snakes, you can purchase specialized repellents to sprinkle around the perimeter of your property that will keep them from crossing into your yard. Got bigger animal problems? Setting up a motion-sensitive sprinkler system that squirts water in the direction of a moving creature is a great way to surprise your unwanted visitors, and they will learn quickly that your yard is not the place for them.
Between your fence and other methods of action, you’ll quickly notice a major reduction in the number of animals that find their way into your pool. You’ll be able to rest easy and enjoy your pool with the peace of mind that both your property and the wildlife around it are safe and sound.
