10 Tips to Pet
Proof Your Home Against Electrical Hazards

Pet Proof Your Home Against Electrical Hazards
Published 01-22-2023

Keeping your family safe is important, and families often include pets. You might consider pets similar to babies, except with sharper teeth and easier to potty train. Like babies, our pets don’t know enough to keep themselves safe and rely on us to guide and protect them.

Check out our ten tips below to pet-proof your home and protect your fur babies from electrical dangers.

Why is Pet-Proofing So Important?

Many pets are naturally curious. With this being almost universally the case, the likelihood is that a pet will put a paw or a nose against an electrical outlet or try chewing on cords and plugs.

When you skip pet-proofing, you risk electrical shocks, accidental burns, and even electrocution. Stopping a situation that could harm your pet or cost you electrical repairs requires little time or effort.

Pet-proofing your home will help prevent a potentially tragic situation from becoming a reality.

1. Keep Cords and Wires Stored Neatly Out of Reach

Cords can seem like an invitation to play or chew to your pet. Many pets love the softer, pliable feeling cords give when chewed on.

Keeping cords up and away from where pets can find them out of sight is even better, so even the most stubborn pets aren’t tempted.

When you remove the temptation by keeping cords as far removed from pets as possible, the chance they will hurt themselves chewing on or playing with wires or cords is diminished.

2. Safe Play Areas

Make sure there is a space in your home where your pet can have unobstructed playtime. A place where your new pet can run around and play without you having to worry about unpredictably catching a cord or running into an outlet is a must.

A safe space with no electrical hazards for pets will help prevent accidents, ensure no lamps get pulled off tables, and give you peace of mind. When pets are young, supervision during playtime is also necessary for those still learning.

3. Unplug Electronics When Not in Use

Remember to unplug appliances like hair dryers, air fryers, and electric blankets when you’re done using them. Simply turning them off doesn’t change the fact that they are still attached to the electricity.

To eliminate the danger entirely, you must unplug these devices, or there could still be a risk for pets.

4. Make Outlets Safe

Making your outlets safe for a pet is similar to baby-proofing them. Get covers to protect your pets from catching an outlet accidentally.

You may want to consider the type that allows devices to be plugged in and safeguards the outlet, removing the potential of shock or electrocution if a pet chews on a plug.

Also, consider that any outlet within the reach of pets might benefit from being blocked off with a larger piece of furniture to deny access. Limiting access limits electrical hazards.

 5. Pet Training

Proper training is perhaps the most helpful way to prevent electrical hazards from harming your pet. With the right training, any pet can be taught to avoid certain things that would pose a hazard to your pet's safety.

Plenty of books can help with this, and if you choose to hire a trainer to assist you, you can express specific concerns and training needs to them when you start.

6. Use Cord Covers

The overall grouping of devices that cover cords is known as raceways. These include floor cord covers, wall cord covers, conduits, and other devices that cords are run through to keep them out of sight and prevent hazards.

Any type of raceway helps prevent your pet from accessing electrical cords and is especially useful when cords cannot be put up out of sight or for permanently plugged-in appliances.

 7. Provide Enough Entertainment

Enough entertainment and activity for your furry friend is a big and probably the simplest way to prevent your pet from chewing on wires and cords.

When you supply your pet with enough toys to ensure they are stimulated and busy, even the heartiest chewers will opt for the easily accessed chew toy over the cords and wires in your home.

Pets, especially young pets, are likely to chew on things. Providing a better choice will prevent potential hazards.

 8. No Pet Water Near Electronics

While this may seem straightforward, make sure that any water your pet has access to is nowhere near any outlets, cords, or other electronic hazards.

We all know water and electricity do not mix, so preventing the possibility is a great safety precaution. Pets are smaller than we are, and smaller amounts of electricity will affect them more than humans, so prevention is the best choice.

 9. Invest in Pet-Safe or Higher-Quality Electronics

Certain electronics with more durable cords and housings meant to stand up to the potential of pets chewing on them can be purchased.

These types of electronics, as well as high-quality electronics, will be manufactured to stand up to more damage and could protect even the most curious pets from electrical shock or accidental burns.

 10. Use Deterrents

You can buy a cord keeper designed to deter your pet from chewing. Infused with foul-tasting additives, these preventions will ensure your pet thinks twice before chewing or bothering something dangerous.

You can also buy sprays to spray where needed that do the same thing. If your pet is really stubborn, you can get a mat that will discharge static electricity and leave it where it will keep pets from hazards.

The Bottom Line:  Pet Proof Your Home Against Electrical Hazards

We love our pets. They are cherished family members, and keeping them safe is a serious concern, especially in our homes, where they spend most of their time.

Following these ten tips will help ensure that your pets stay safe. Our furry companions bring us immense joy and fill our lives with unconditional love. Keep your pets unconditionally safe by preventing an electrical hazard from harming them.

Author Bio

Aire Serv is a Neighborly Company. Neighborly is a family of home service brands that share a commitment to providing you with an outstanding level of service.

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