Growing up, things were very different. All around me, several of my neighbors had dogs, sometimes several, and they all resided outside. My aunt was one of the bigger examples. She had over 20 dogs throughout my childhood into my teen years, and every last one of them stayed both inside and outside. It was a mad house when feeding time came around and this pack of dogs would descend on my sweet old aunt. They had a couple of dog houses, and the more aggressive dogs were kept in a fence within the fenced in back yard. But they were allowed to run free back there because it was just them and the yard.
LEAVING DOGS OUTSIDE UNATTENDED PRESENTS A LARGE LEVEL OF DANGER
Since then, all the dogs have died. Either due to some sort of illness or another, attacking each other, or being sick from changing weather conditions, even the unfortunate situation of someone poisoning a couple of them. But times have definitely changed since then and leaving your dog outside unattended presents a large level of danger. We think nothing can happen, with the dogs being in a fenced in area in our back yard, but that is not the case, as many things can occur when you aren’t home.
COYOTES IN GWINNETT COUNTY
Not all backyard, outdoor dogs are big dogs. Some are smaller and less aggressive. And there have been several reports of Coyote attacks. (Yes, in Atlanta, Coyotes) This occurs because they wonder into a neighborhood and see the smaller dogs and see them as some sort of prey. The danger here is that Coyotes have a 6ft vertical jump, and they will definitely hop a fence and come for the pup. It’s not a common thing, but definitely a situation that occurs more than it should.
COPPERHEADS IN GWINNETT COUNTY
If you live in any sort of heavily wooded area, you are concerned with the potential of snakes. Not all snakes are harmless, but there are a great deal that are, and your pup will not know the difference. Copperhead snakes are extremely venomous and very common in the Snellville and surrounding suburbs of Atlanta. And a snake attack can happen before you know it. Especially when you are away from home. And with no one there to stop the attack, this could prove fatal for your pup.
BEE STINGS
Spring is a time for flowers and showers. Another thing spring brings is bees. They are quite rampant during the springtime, and humans aren’t the only species that are allergic to bee stings. If you puppers is allergic as well, it could prove to be a fatal situation if a bee stings him. Especially if you aren’t home when it happens. This situation can worsen with wasps or hornets, as they can continuously sting. And all it takes is a curious pup to stumble into the wrong area, and its game over.
DOGS CAN AND WILL DIG AND JUMP THE FENCE
Dogs are crafty creatures. And one of the things they do is dig. Dogs have very much been known for jumping fences and getting out to explore, or even, at times escape. They have also been known to dig underneath the fence and squeeze through to get out. So keeping an eye on your pup and making sure your fence is secure is very important.
HAWK ATTACKS TO EXTREAM WEATHER IN GWINNETT COUNTY
It’s very uncommon, but Hawk attacks are very real and very dangerous. There have been several accounts of hawks swooping down and claiming small animals, especially small dogs and babies, and flying off with them to consume or feed to their young. This is a terrifying occurrence that, if you aren’t paying attention, could prove quite fatal for your pet. Also, leaving a pet outside during in climate weather is just awful. Atlanta, if you didn’t already know, has the weirdest weather. It could be extremely cold one minute, then summer the next. And your pets feel this too. It’s just good parenting to bring your pup in from the cold or extreme heat. Much like you, heatstroke and hypothermia are a definite thing.
PEOPLE STEAL PETS OUT OF YARDS FOR FLIPPING AND BATE FOR DOG FIGHTS
Another worry is just other people. People have been reported to steal animals all the time. And keeping them in a fence, especially one that can be broken into, is an invitation for a pup thief to sneak in and snatch up your pet. So keeping them in the open inside a fence isn’t exactly ideal. Even with a dog house, it would take nothing for someone to scale, or cut the fence, get in, and swipe fido. You think its not possible, but its happening more and more. Why would someone steal a dog? Several reasons. Either to take them to fight for money (namely pitbulls), to sell to someone else (especially exotic breed dogs) These dogs stolen for fighting suffer so badly and are very badly abused and given deplorable conditions to live in and deal with.
MICROCHIP YOUR PETS – IT’S THE RIGHT THING TO DO
Our job as pet owners is to reduce as much risk as possible when it comes to our pets. Pet leashes and collars keep them safe and others, collars with ID tags or microchips help keep track of our dogs should they run off or go missing, and we give them heartworm to keep them from getting ill. Keeping our dogs inside when we are away reduces many of the mentioned risks and potential threats that could come from leaving them unattended. But the bigger thing is to always keep an eye on your pets.
**** SITED FROM: Laughing Pets Atlanta
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