Keeping Pets Safe Around Electrical Cords

It can be very worrying when you come home to find that your cat, dog or even pet bird has managed to chew through an electric cord. On the positive side of things, they don't seem to be any worse for wear although the cord is utterly destroyed. However, this type of event really does bring it home to pet owners just how dangerous a simple cord for any electrical device can be to their beloved furry friends.

Dogs and Devices

Many a dog owner has returned home to find their Kindle now has teeth mark on it. They may also have found numerous remote controls chewed up and in pieces on the floor. Some of our canine companions seem to develop a taste for certain devices and electrical gadgets unable to leave them alone if they can get at them. Electrical woes can become the bane of a pet owner's life which means it's time to do something about things.

Cats and Cables

Cats on the other hand seem to love playing and gnawing on computer cables. They seem to enjoy pulling things off a desk or a table before dragging the cord away before chewing on it. Laptop chargers are usually nice and warm which means our feline friends find it very cosy to sit on them, once they have pulled them onto the floor that is.

However, a hamster or guinea pig on the loose can cause quite a bit of damage to an electric cord and when they chew through them, they can seriously injure themselves maybe even suffer an electrocution which begs the question, how do pet owners keep their animals safe and their electrical cords intact?

Go Wireless with Computers and other Gadgets

The simplest solution is to go “wireless” and although this might work for all your computer, laptop and other gadgets, it still doesn't solve the problem of cords on a fridge, a lamp or other commonly found household item. To render these cords “pet safe”, the best course of action is to put the wiring in some sort of very touch cover which you can buy from most good hardware stores or you could source them on eBay for a reasonable price. With this said, you cannot put a cost on protecting your pets from electrocuting themselves if they should decide to chew on a live wire.

What Happens when Your Pet Swallows Wiring

The problem however, is not only does your pet risk being electrocuted when they gnaw on live electrical wiring that's commonly found in every home, but they could also swallow part of it. Not only this, but should your dog decide to chew your Kindle or mobile phone to bits, the chances are they could have swallowed parts of the devices too. More often than not, whatever they have swallowed will pass through their digestive systems without causing a serious blockage or doing too much damage. But if they have chewed up your mobile phone, the bad news is that if the screen has been broken, the stuff inside is incredible toxic and therefore any dog or other pet that may have broken or swallowed it would need to see a vet as a matter of urgency.

Make Sure Devices and Gadgets are Kept Out of your Pet's Reach

It goes without saying the best way to protect pets from anything electrical is to make sure everything which includes any smaller devices you have around the home, are kept well out of their reach. This means never leaving a mobile phone on a coffee table, although some dogs have been known to reach into their owner's coat pockets in search of a treat only to find a tasty mobile instead which they promptly chewed up on the ground.

Puppies and Kittens are the Worst Culprits

Puppies and kittens are the worst for chewing on things because they have to go through the painful process of “teething”. If you are thinking about getting either a puppy or a kitten, then you have to make sure your home is “pet proof” and this includes making sure all live electrical cords and cables are well protected from their tiny and very sharp teeth. You also need to provide lots of tasty and safe chewy toys for them to gnaw on and when you are out of the house, to make certain your young pets are in a room that's safe with nothing they can electrocute themselves on.

Conclusion

Keeping pets safely away from live electrical wiring and cords takes a bit of planning, but the good news is you can source protective covers for all your wires either by going online or by visiting a local hardware store. One solution is to go “wireless” with all your computer stuff, but which is harder to do when it comes to kitchen and other appliances commonly found around the home. Puppies and kittens are the worst culprits when it comes to chewing through wires, but a loose rodent in the house can do quite a bit of damage to wiring and themselves too. The time and money invested to keep pets safe is cash well spent, after all making sure they live in a safe environment is one of the responsibilities of sharing a home with them.