As a pet owner living in Arizona, you know that pet friendly pest control is crucial. In the likely case, you have asked yourself if there are pet friendly pest control services near me, you should know that Blue Sky Pest Control is one of the state’s top pet-friendly pest control companies. We understand your concerns about whether pest control is safe around your animals and have put together a guide that includes everything you need know about our approach to pet friendly pest control, what animals are safe around pest control, and our policy to ensure Blue Sky Pest Control is safe for pets. Our pet friendly exterminators are near you everywhere in the Phoenix area including Chandler, Glendale, and Scottsdale. Contact us for a free quote!

What is pet-friendly pest control?

Every service we perform is designed with homes, families, and pets in mind. Generally speaking, the products and methods we use are designed to be used around mammals, but we always take extra precautions around non-mammal pets and wildlife. Birds, fish, and reptiles have different body chemistries that make them sensitive to products that don’t bother mammals.

Here are some examples of considerations for various types of pets:

• For tortoises, rabbits, and pets that graze on grass and leaves in your yard, we make it a point not to treat vegetation they may eat. Some customers choose to have a fenced-off ‘turtle yard’ that we don’t treat.
• Chickens are natural predators for many of the pests we deal with, so treatment in yards with free-range chickens are modified to protect the home and focus only on pest harborage areas the chickens won’t likely feed.
• Birds, fish, and reptiles living indoors typically have a home of sorts where they can safely stay in when treatment indoors is needed. We simply ask you to cover their home with a towel or blanket until any products have time to dry, which is usually 15 minutes or less.

We can always tailor a service specific to your home and family needs, pets included. We’re always happy to discuss your unique needs, just give us a call.

So, is pest control safe for pets? 

The answer to this question is that it depends. Pet friendly pest control depends on the types of products used. Are they organic? We always recommend letting pest control dry before your pets. If you have pets, it’s always a good idea to let your pest control company know before your pest control treatment has been performed.

How is pet-friendly pest control different from other types of pest control?

It’s not uncommon for individuals to have safety concerns when calling a pest control provider. While we can’t speak to the practices of other companies, we can certainly help you understand the care we take regarding your family and pets during our treatments.

A pet-friendly pest control treatment starts with an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach to dealing with pests. IPM looks to deal with pests by eliminating harborage, food, and other pest-ideal conditions before ever applying any product. This is the bug equivalent of stopping a leak before starting to clean it up. We’ll make recommendations for dealing with conducive conditions to our customers, which are often simple and significant steps in a pest management plan.

How we do pet safe pest control 

Blue Sky also uses various types of physical controls in treatments. Non-toxic measures such as glue boards, rodent catch stations, and snap traps are effective tools for dealing with many kinds of pests. When properly deployed, these tools represent virtually no risk to kids or pets.

When the time comes to apply pest control materials, how and what you use makes a world of difference. A majority of the products we use are centered around organic compounds that will break down over time, so they won’t accumulate in your yard and home. Even while active, the chrysanthemum-based products we use for most residential pest control have a relative toxicity (LD50) for mammals lower than common table salt.

We often get calls from customers dealing with rodent issues who are worried about the safety of their dogs and cats. With rodents, we primarily use a vitamin D-based bait that deals with the rodents with very minimal risk of harming non-target animals. This approach means that dogs, cats, or birds that may play with a deceased rodent have an extremely low risk of picking up the effects of the baits secondhand.

How do I keep pets safe before, during, and after pest control treatments?

This is somewhat addressed in the first answer above. In short, it depends on the type of pet and nature of the treatment. As a general rule, we ask you keep them out of any areas while being treated and until the applied products can dry, which is usually 15 minutes or less.

If there’s a concern that a physical device – such as a glue board or snap trap – will be a problem with one of your pets, we’ll consult with you before deploying them.

If ever you have safety questions or concerns, please speak with your technician or call the office.

How do I ensure my pets don’t interfere with Blue Sky Pest Control’s treatment?

There aren’t many scenarios where a pet might unwittingly sabotage a treatment, but here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Discourage digging.

  • Dogs that like to dig, especially around the foundation of your home, can displace and bury the materials actively working against the pests. This can be particularly problematic when termites are a concern, as it may open a safe path for termites to get into your home.

• Be mindful of glue trap placement.

  • We often place glue traps behind or under appliances, behind furniture, and around doorways. Cats and other curious pets can step on these traps and collapse them down on themselves. While there’s no real danger for the pets, it may make it easier for crawling insects to enter and get comfortable in your home.

• Watch for excessive chewing.

  • Snap traps and rodent baits on the ground level are always secured in durable stations to keep kids and non-target animals safe. While these stations are very durable, large breed dogs who enjoy chewing could eventually break them open. If this is a concern at your home, speak with your technician, We’ll make appropriate adjustments to station placement and your treatment plan.

What do I do if my pets are bringing pests in or around the home?

Great question. Let’s break this down by area:

• On the pet:

  • Some pests, such as fleas and ticks, are often introduced to your home by hitchhiking in on dogs and cats. Bathing the pet and, where appropriate, using a flea or tick shampoo will often take care of bugs on your pet.
  • If you have any concerns about the health or safety of the pet, we encourage you to consult a veterinarian.

• In your home:

  • When a dog or cat introduces pests to your home, they often do so to areas we don’t have preventative measures in place – such as in couches and bedding. Thoroughly cleaning the area will usually take care of the problem. Carefully clear out cracks, crevices, and other tight spaces where bugs could take shelter. Launder any bedding (especially dog beds), and vacuum other areas. The soaps, cleaners, and physical trauma caused by these actions will take care of most pests.

• Consider giving us a call:

  • Our customers on a regular treatment plan get free call-back treatments for cases like this. We’ll target the specific areas of concern, inside and out, and treat specifically for the pests in question.

Learn more about Blue Sky’s approach to pest control. We serve the entire Phoenix area and will give you a free quote! We serve the entire Phoenix area including Gilbert, Mesa, and Chandler! Our pet friendly exterminators can help you get the pest control you need while protecting your animals at the same time.