Pets should be monitored when they are outside for both their own safety and the safety of the wildlife that may be living on your property. Several species of wild animals can and will kill your pet. Bring pets in or put them within a shelter at night for their protection. Leaving pet food or animal feed outside also may attract unwanted animals and pests.
Cats
Many birds nest in low-lying trees and brush which makes them easy prey for cats. This information is provided by the American Bird Conservatory:
“Outdoor domestic cats are a recognized threat to global biodiversity. Cats have contributed to the extinction of 63 species of birds, mammals, and reptiles in the wild and continue to adversely impact a wide variety of other species, including those at risk of extinction. The ecological dangers are so critical that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists domestic cats as one of the world’s worst non-native invasive species. Predation by domestic cats is the number-one direct, human-caused threat to birds in the United States and Canada. In the United States alone, outdoor cats kill approximately 2.4 billion birds every year. Although this number may seem unbelievable, it represents the combined impact of tens of millions of outdoor cats. Each outdoor cat plays a part.“
Dogs
Dogs are wonderful pets and would love to run free on a large piece of property, but if a dog attacks, chases, injures, or kills a neighbor’s animal, the owner could be charged with a civil infraction, so keep your pets confined to your property.
Property owners do have the right to kill a dog or animal that is harassing or attacking their animals. Dogs also should be licensed and vaccinated for rabies.