Out of all the pool safety strategies out there, the one most overlooked by pool owners is animal safety.
A fall into a pool can be traumatic as well as life threatening. And it isn’t just your neighborhood dogs and cats that you need to worry about. Don’t forget about all the wild animals that call your backyard “home.”
If you live near other bodies of water, chances are you’ve found a number of frogs and/or toads in your pool. A common misconception is that these animals can survive a long time in a pool simply because they can swim. Unfortunately, it is not the water, but the chlorine or other chemicals in your pool that can cause problems for these animals.
Other frequent pool visitors include mice, moles, snakes, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks and birds. To help prevent the untimely death of these critters as well as your neighborhood dogs and cats, check out the following safety devices.
This device replaces your normal skimmer with one that features a spiral ramp so that trapped animals can use it to climb out.
This ramp attaches to the side of your pool and creates an easy to use flotation device that leads to a ramp, allowing small animals a way to get out of the pool.
For animals that are larger than your average mice and frogs, there’s the Scamper Ramp. It’s easy to install and is chemical-resistant, weather-resistant, UV-resistant and can be used in lakes and the ocean in addition to pools.
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Specifically designed for dogs, this ramp makes it much safer and easier to help your dog get out of or even into the water. The floating ramp folds up and lays flat for easy storage.
Remember, whether they are household pets or wild animals, animal safety is a necessity when it comes to owning a pool. Just like with children, it is a advisable to build a fence around your pool as extra safety. And if you’re still in the process of building, consider adding shallow steps to help pets when exiting the pool.