How To Keep your Pets Safe With Pest Control

Those of us with furry, feathered or scaly family members know it’s important to keep pets safe as we tackle insects or rodents. After all, both pests AND the chemicals used to banish them can spell trouble for animals if not managed correctly.
But pet safety in the context of pest control is a bit more complicated than shooing Rufus out of the way while you spray pesticide on the side of the house.
“Your animal companions are naturally curious and will follow or track your scent to see where you’ve been,” cautions the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC).
Pets may even taste the substance you’ve applied to see if it’s eatable, or get chemicals on their bodies as they groom, roll around or dig in the yard, say experts at Oregon State University.
So what do you do?
In this post, we’ve compiled recommendations from unbiased sources to help ensure your pets stay safe as you take steps to eradicate pests.
Pet Safety BEFORE a Pest Control Treatment
- Consider whether using expert, integrated pest management is a more appropriate way to deal with the pest problem. If you’re using an expert, please inform us that you have pets, what they are, and where they’re located.
- If you choose to apply pesticide yourself, make sure you understand and follow all label instructions and read any manufacturer’s information on how it may impact your pets. When in doubt, call the manufacturer’s hotline.
- Don’t use a pesticide if you spot an oily or gummy film on the surface. It may have deteriorated in storage.
- If it’s windy outside, consider postponing the treatment to another day. Winds can move pesticides to water sources that your pets may frequent.
- In addition to removing pets from the area to be treated, also remove pet toys, food bowls, litter boxes, and bedding.
- Your fishies need protection too! Cover or remove fish tanks to prevent liquid and vapors from entering the tank. If using foggers (bug bombs), turn off fish tank pumps during the application. Consider similar precautions for reptiles, snakes, birds, and other small pets that are in an enclosed region.
- Don’t forget your neighbor’s pets or wildlife! Minimize their exposure too, especially near water sources.
Pet Safety DURING a Pest Control Treatment
- Ask your pest control company if your pet can be present or if they recommend removing them from the treated location. This may be a great opportunity to spoil your pet and put them up in a pet hotel!
- If the product label tells you to mix a product in another container, use all of the mixture or label the container for future use. Do not use food and beverage containers, or containers without tight-fitting lids.
- If using foggers (bug bombs), it’s helpful to turn off your HVAC so pesticide dust doesn’t circulate around your home.
- Baits used for rats, mice, gophers, slugs and snails look mighty appetizing to pets — especially dogs. If using baits, place them where your pet cannot reach or dig them up.
- Don’t exceed the recommended dosage or make repeat applications unless specified on the product label.
Pet Safety AFTER a Pest Control Treatment
- Keep pets away from treated areas until pesticides are completely dry and the area has been well ventilated. Again, ask your pest control technician for their recommendation.
- Granular lawn products take a while to dissolve. Keep pets off the treated area for at least 24 hours.
- Don’t throw away pesticide products or containers. You might need label information in case of emergency.
- Pesticides leave residue on plants, even after dried. Don’t let your pet lick, chew or eat plants treated with pesticides.
- Don’t store herbicides and insecticides together to avoid cross-contamination.
Your Safest Bet
Your best chance of keeping your pets safe and not botch pest control?
Bring in a professional, advises Charlotte Flint, senior consulting veterinarian for Pet Poison Helpline. Pest control professionals are “a great resource to help identify problems and make your home less welcoming to unwanted insects and rodents. They’re also experienced in treating homes with pets.”
On that note, be sure to always inform your pest control technician that you have pets, so he or she can take appropriate precautions.
Helpful Pesticide and Animal Poison Control Numbers
- National Pesticide Information Center: 1-800-858-7378
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: 1-888-426-4435 (a fee may be required)
- Freedom Pest Control: 317-537-0996
Do We Recommend D-I-Y Extermination?

We’re not adamantly opposed to do-it-yourself extermination in some cases, but most pest problems call for a great, licensed pest control professional. Home owners, restaurateurs, and commercial real estate managers can get easily frustrated and wind up in more trouble, spending more money than they had imagined. There are several reasons why:
- Pests found their way into your home and business somehow. It’s not just about treating the affected space and putting out poison, it’s about figuring out how they were able to get there in the first place. Our technicians know how and where to look for places that are vulnerable to pests. If you don’t find the entry points, you’re just going to have the problem keep coming back. And each time a pest returns, the damage typically grows.
- Chemicals for pest control can impact your family and pets. Some chemicals have great potency but don’t last long, ensuring the pest is exterminated without leaving behind a problem that could impact your household or business. Store-bought chemicals may not have the quality and effectiveness of commercially available treatments. And every chemical requires special care for handling and how it’s disposed of.
- Experience is worth the investment when it comes to pest control. Our technicians are trained, licensed, and experienced. Without experience, D-I-Y extermination often doesn’t last, can produce more costly problems down the road, and may even cause you to get sick when working with the treatments.
- Education on treatments and pests is ongoing. Our relationship with Purdue keeps us knowledgeable of regional issues and our partnership with the National Pest Management Association keeps our technicians knowledgeable of treatment changes, new methods, and any other issues that could arise.
Investing in a reputable pest control company will often have a great return on investment instead of attempting to do-it-yourself. Not a day goes by that we hear from a customer, “We tried…” and the customer spent time, funds, and frustration in dealing with the problem. Give us a call and we’ll get you taken care of.