Pet-Friendly Pest Control
Ensure the safety of man’s best friend with pet-friendly pest control with Nozzle Nolen.
Many of us can’t imagine what life would be like without our beloved pets. A recent survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association found that 70% of U.S. households have a pet, which represents 90.5 million families.
Unfortunately, many everyday household products also pose a danger to our pets’ health, including some over-the-counter pesticides. If they’re not applied correctly, pesticides can contaminate food and water dishes, and pet toys. In particular, dogs and cats can be exposed to potentially hazardous chemicals in yards that have recently been treated with pesticides.
You can keep pests at bay without endangering your pets or other family members by working with pet-friendly pest control services such as Nozzle Nolen, whose 365 Complete Home Protection Plan protects your residence and your family in a safe and environmentally friendly manner.
Is Pest Control Safe for Pets?
There’s nothing more important than protecting our families, including the four-legged members. Yet one of the gravest threats to pets is poisoning:
- The ASPCA reports that in 2021 it responded to more than 400,000 cases of pet poisoning in the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean. The group’s pet poison helpline saw a 51% increase in call volume from the previous year.
- Many items that will sicken or kill a dog, cat, or other pet aren’t necessarily poisonous to humans, including yeast, brewed coffee, and bread dough.
- The fifth most common source of pet poisoning is indoor and outdoor plants.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed its Integrated Pest Management (IPM) principles to ensure that pest control is safe and effective for humans, animals, and the environment. A key component of IPM is the “judicious use of pesticides” to minimize threats to people, property, and ecosystems.
IPM emphasizes preventing pests and controlling their populations below the threshold at which their presence becomes problematic. The approach is at the heart of Nozzle Nolen’s pet-friendly pest control services. With 365 Complete, your home receives quarterly inspections and preventive treatments using non-chemical control methods whenever possible.
- The service documents all pest control treatments to create a complete record of past pest-management efforts
- Nozzle Nolen’s trained and certified pest control technicians recommend steps to prevent future problems
- If a pest problem should arise, the company responds within 24 to 48 hours to address it quickly and completely.
Pet-Friendly Pest Control for the Yard
Even when you take precautions to keep your pets away from your lawn and yard after it’s treated with pesticides, they risk being exposed elsewhere, such as on walks around the neighborhood. Certain pesticides are especially dangerous to dogs, including organophosphates such as malathion and disulfoton. Also to be avoided is metaldehyde, which is commonly used in traps for killing snails and slugs.
Some pesticides are mixed with fertilizer that contains fish or bone meal, whose aroma makes them attractive to dogs. The effects of the poisoning may not be apparent right away. For example, the Sierra Club has found that dogs exposed to lawn pesticides are more likely to develop bladder cancer and malignant lymphoma. It’s important to contact your veterinarian immediately if you suspect your dog or other pet has been exposed to a harmful pesticide.
There are some precautions you can take to make your treated lawn more pet friendly. First, ensure that your pet spends some time outside right before treatment so that they are comfortable inside until the treatment is completely dry. We will not treat for pests during rain or before it is likely to rain. This is to prevent runoff that could potentially be harmful to pets.
What to Do With Pets During Bed Bug Treatment
If you’re dealing with a local bed bug infestation, such as one that affects only a single room, your pets can be removed to another area of the house during and immediately after the bed bug treatment’s application. Be sure to keep your pets away from the treated area long enough for the sprays to dry, which is usually one to two hours.
When bed bugs are found in homes with pets, it is a very good idea to get the lawn treated at the same time. It is more than likely that the source of the bed bugs is the lawn, and they were transmitted inside by the pet.
The ASPCA notes that pyrethrin, the chemical commonly used to combat a bed bug infestation, can be used safely around pets with the proper precautions. However, the group recommends that pet owners work with a professional pest control service to eradicate any bed bugs in their homes because it’s difficult for homeowners to apply the treatment safely and effectively and ensure the treated area is well ventilated.
Pet-Friendly Pest Control Puts Safety First
There’s no need to risk the health of our pets and other loved ones in our efforts to protect our homes from infestations. By emphasizing year-round prevention, services such as Nozzle Nolen’s 365 Complete serve as insurance against the potential hazards posed by pests in a safe, effective, and affordable way.
Do-it-yourself pest control is reactive and hit-and-miss. Professional pest control from Nozzle Nolen is preventive, proactive, and custom designed to meet your home’s unique needs. The right way to protect your home, your family, and your beloved pets is by taking advantage of the knowledge and experience of the pros at Nozzle Nolen.
Getting Started With Nozzle Nolen
Nozzle Nolen has provided expert pest control services for South Florida for more than 70 years. Find out how we can meet your family’s pest control needs by calling 800.226.6536 or contacting the company to schedule your free evaluation. Nozzle Nolen’s pet-friendly pest control services will keep you and your pets happy, healthy, and protected year-round.
