Pet Safety in the Home

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Pet Safety in the Home

Pets just do what they do! Each animal has its own manner of going through life, exploring, playing, sleeping and eating as suits their individual nature.

But unlike people, pets don’t always know that there can be things in a human home that can harm, and even kill them. It’s up to us to do the thinking for them and make sure the home is safe and worry-free for all.

Keeping Your Furry Friends Safe: The Hidden Dangers in Every Household by Sally Perkins

As an owner, the last place you would imagine your pet having a potentially fatal accident is in the comfort of your home, the site of countless behind-the-ear scratches and wagging tails. While keeping your pet away from natural predators, uncertain terrain and their known food allergies are common tenants of animal ownership, did you know that there are also unseen aspects of household cleanliness that could severely impact their health?

nsafe Toxins Within Household Cleaning Products

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Unfortunately, countless cleaning products can deliver both short and long term damage to your pet. While the common rule of thumb is to pet-proof your home just as you would for a toddler or small child, there are extra precautions you can take to ensure that your pet will not fall victim to a careless oversight. The strong chemicals/toxins used to disinfect and sanitize leave behind strong vapors that while at most are mildly upsetting to humans, can prove fatal to animals.

Sharing your home with your pet includes every surface you clean/use, not just the areas your pet frequents, meaning that just because your pet doesn’t use the toilet doesn’t mean that they cannot get seriously ill by ingesting toilet water treated with harsh cleaners. Laundry detergents and common cleaning products such as multipurpose wipes, mildew removers and tile scrubs often contain the following chemicals that are dangerous to your pet: bleach, chlorine, ammonia, phenols, isopropyl alcohol, formaldehyde, phthalates, phenols and perchloroethylene.

Putting a safety lock on the cupboards where these cleaners are stored is not enough of a precaution, as your pet may lick/lay on a surface that has been treated with these harsh chemicals so it is best to avoid them altogether. There are many cleaning products that are pet-friendly, and can be used without the fear of your pet developing a skin, facial, or internal injury.

Other Dangers and How to Avoid Them

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While cleaning products are widely used and are therefore the most direct danger to pets, there are other safety hazards lurking in your home at any given moment. While humans can easily detect the difference between garbage and food items, pets have a harder time differentiating trash from treasure and will often nibble without hesitation. Despite the fact that some garbage cans are outfitted with child-proof/pet-proof locking mechanisms, it is imperative to take extra care when disposing of items such as batteries, broken glass, medications, and paper towels as they pose a serious risk to your pets.

Also, take care to shelve fluids such as antifreeze in your garage instead of storing them at floor/pet level, as animals are drawn to the sweet smell of its active ingredient, ethylene glycerol. This chemical is extremely dangerous and fatal to animals in even the smallest of doses.

With common sense and basic planning, you can keep your pet safe from the majority of at-home health hazards. With the use of natural cleaning products free from harsh chemicals and taking extra care to scan the floors/countertops for ingestible dangers you and your pet can enjoy your home worry-free.

Top Five species discoveries from 2020 (Photos)

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Top Five species discoveries from 2020 (Photos)

In this well-trodden world, the discovery of a species new to science is an exciting event, a glimmer of the uncharted riches of biodiversity still hidden around the globe.

A New Indian pit viper named after a Harry Potter character

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A new green pit viper species was found in the Himalayas and named Trimeresurus salazar, or the Salazar’s pit viper, after Salazar Slytherin, a character from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. The snake, which is nocturnal and has a unique reddish-to-orange stripe on the head and body of males, was discovered during a herpetological expedition in the northeasternmost state of India, Arunachal Pradesh, which has been home to many new discoveries of plants and animals in recent decades.

A new false gecko found in the Philippines

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On a collection trip on the southeastern tip of the Philippines’ main island of Luzon, researchers found several species of false geckos, the final one receiving its name this year: the Bicol hollow-dwelling forest gecko (Pseudogekko hungkag). Hungkag means “hollow” in Filipino, and is a nod to the gecko’s tendency to hide in hollow areas such as logs. It has inverted “Y” shaped markings along its entire tail, and golden-yellow eyes that reflect in the light of a flashlight. The Bicol hollow-dwelling forest gecko is only the 10th species from the genus Pseudogekko (false geckos), all of which are found exclusively in the Philippines. Their quick movements and camouflage make them very difficult to find, and little is known about their habitat range and requirements.

Though newly described to science, this Madagascar giant frog is well known at the dinner table

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Frog fritters and frog legs are on the menu in many Madagascan towns, where giant frogs are bred in ponds or easily caught in the countryside and brought to the table. One of these giant frog species, which reaches body lengths of more than 10 centimeters (4 inches), drew the attention of researchers. Using genetic analysis, scientists found that this frog, while well-known to locals, was unknown to science. It has been distinguished from other Mantidactylus frog species in its genus and named Mantidactylus radaka. Radaka is the traditional name for the large frog. There are now 362 recognized species of frogs in Madagascar.

A beautiful and endangered langur species found in Myanmar

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A new primate species, the Popa langur (Trachypithecus popa), was identified in the lab, using samples of tissues from museum specimens, captive species, and fecal samples from wild animals collected in the forests of Myanmar. Only around 200 to 260 Popa langur individuals are known to exist, spread across four separate populations. The safest population, according to researchers, lives in an area of forest only about 26 square kilometers (10 square miles) in size, which may not give it room to sustain a growing population. Although its status has not been formally assessed, it qualifies for a “critically endangered” designation under the IUCN Red List criteria.

A shiny salamander from the U.S. finally gets a name

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More than 50 years after it was first collected, a new species of salamander has been identified by researchers using next-generation DNA sequencing technology. The Carolina sandhills salamander (Eurycea arenicola) is found in the springs and small streams in the sandhills region of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The state has 64 named salamanders, more than any other state in the country. The sandhills region holds some of the last remaining 5% of longleaf pine ecosystem in the U.S.

Pania Wildlife Sanctuary: is home to the Chinkara (Indian Gazelle)

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Pania Wildlife Sanctuary: is home to the Chinkara (Indian Gazelle)

A very important part of the Gir National Park, Pania Wildlife Sanctuary is home to the Chinkara (Indian Gazelle).

Popularly known as Chanchai-Pania, this sanctuary is an integral part of the famous Gir Wildlife Sanctuary. Pania Sanctuary was notified in June 1989. This patch of forest, having arid conditions in absence of any natural water source, has given way to abundant growth of grass making the area ideal for chinkara- the Indian gazelle. Although lions, leopards and all other animals that reside in Gir, frequent this sanctuary, chinkaras roam more freely in this sanctuary rather than in the much wooded areas of Gir. The area falls in Amreli district and is easily approachable from Amreli and Dhari. The moderate hills of Chanchai accord a picturesque scene to the area. Here eco-tourists find nature and wildlife in its rawest form. World famous Gir Wildlife Sanctuary forms boundary in south and east while hills of Chahchai are towering in the north-west of Gir. These provide very suitable terrain for chinkaras.

Chanchai Pania as the sanctuary is popularly called is to be found at a short distance away from Amreli. Undoubtedly a charming area appropriate for eco-tourism, this sanctuary is the safe place for many wildlife species like lion, hyena, leopard, wildcat, civet cat, spotted deer, chinkara, wild boar, four-horned antelope, pangolin and bluebull. The best time to visit Pania Wildlife Sanctuary is between October and June.

Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary, an impressive camping site

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Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary, an impressive camping site

A wildlife sanctuary with a royal past, it is now known for its full-fledged reserve of abundant flora and fauna. Jambughoda sanctuary which is situated in Panchmahal district of central Gujarat, covers an area of about 130 sq km (a part of which falls in Vadodara district as well). Part of the princely state of Jambughoda.

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Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary, a combine destination with Champaner is full of forest of teak and mahuda trees, bamboo and other lush vegetation. The sanctuary is 70 km away from Vadodara. It is the home for enormous populations for many kind of wildlife.
These days the Number of leopard are increased in sanctuary.

It also include the wild boar, nilgai (blue bull, the largest antelope in Asia), jackal, hyena, barking deer, sloth bear, and chausingha(four-horned antelope). the wildlife sanctuary known for leopards and has a fair population of hyenas, jackals, crocodiles, cobra, python, the tailor bird, the golden oriole, teals and ducks. Don’t forget to visit the two regions, Targol and Kada, which are worth exploring.

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There are many places to hike through the forests in the sanctuary and it is a marvelous camping site. For those without the experience to camp, a forest rest house is available beside the Kada reservoir, one of two reservoirs in the sanctuary.The nearest bus and rail access is Shivrajpur, just 1 km from the sanctuary. The best time to visit this Sanctuary is between July and February.

Pilbhit Reserve Lays Trap to Capture Tigress Who Ventured Out Creating Panic in Villages

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Pilbhit Reserve Lays Trap to Capture Tigress Who Ventured Out Creating Panic in Villages

officials in the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) are now trying to relocate a tigress that has wandered out of the reserve and is creating panic among the villagers.

Deputy Director of PTR, Naveen Khandelwal, said, “Our teams will first track the route of the tigress before laying cages. If need be we will also seek help from tranquilizing experts.”

Four teams of forest rangers have been deployed in the area to track the movement of the tigress and lay cage traps. The cages trap the animal without posing any threat to its health and can be transported to other place easily.

Reportedly, the adult tigress moved out of the core area of the reserve in mid-November and has been spotted around the nearby farms. The movement of the tigress was earlier ignored by the forest officials.

“This kind of movement by a big cat is usual. Tigers can travel up to 40 kilometres in a single day. However, we got worried when several reports of the tigress sighting near villages were reported as this could lead to man-animal conflict which is harmful for both,” the official said.

Located adjacent to the Indo-Nepal border, PTR has been a centre of man-animal conflict in the past. More than 25 people have been killed by the big cats since November 2016.

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