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General Safety Issues

SIX WAYS TO PREVENT YOUR HOME FROM BECOMING A TARGET FOR THIEVES (GUEST POST)

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By Bill Walter 
 
Some things in life can’t be controlled. If a tornado is coming towards your home you have to pray that it turns in the other direction and heads off down another street. When it rains so hard your roof feels like it’s about to collapse you have to hope the slates will keep as much water out as possible. All these things can’t be controlled and if Mother Nature wants to destroy your home you have to just sit there and hope there’s still something left by the time she stops. Then you have nasty thieves who want to destroy your home, but they want to do it in another way.
They want to smash your window, climb in and steal as much things as possible. It’s probably dirty drug addicts who want their next fix. They’ll come into your home and steal your TV, then hopefully they can sell it for a few bucks to buy some heroin. Those dirty people are only looking for one thing: an easy target. You don’t see many drug addicts climbing fences, cutting your electricity, and using sophisticated tools to open your door without leaving evidence. They just want an easy target and here’s how to make your home unattractive to them.
Make it painful
If you have shrubbery outside your home you should make sure it’s the jaggy kind. That way when they see it they will know they are going to be ripped to shreds if they decide to sneak through it. If it’s on the other side of your fence and they decide to jump over they are in for a nasty surprise. You won’t see many people break into someone’s home when they have blood pouring down their arms.
Get a higher fence
Small fences are not going to scare many people away. They will deter a small number of would-be thieves, but you need something a little higher if everyone is going to turn around and walk away. You don’t have to rip out the old one and build something much bigger, but just take it into consideration if you ever decide to replace it.
Let there be light
You want your home to light up like a Christmas tree whenever anyone approaches it. If it’s a friend they are going to appreciate the fact they don’t have to walk around in the dark, and if it’s a burglar they are going to turn around and start sprinting for their car. Unless someone is a really good ninja they are not going to get past motion detection lights.
Beware of the dog
This is obviously an old one and you do see lots of people with these already, but that’s because they work. Have a big sign on your garden fence that tells them you have a huge dog, even if you have a little one or none at all. Would you take the chance when you could just as easily look for another home to break into?
Let there be more light
This time you need to think about what’s happening inside your home. When someone is walking down the road and they spot all your lights off they will realize there’s no-one home. Now they just need to get in and out as fast as possible and they have themselves a new television. If they see lights on they won’t come and steal the TV while you’re watching it, so keep the lights turned on when it’s dark.
Have an alarm system
Everyone would benefit from an alarm system. It gives you some peace of mind when you go to sleep. It’s even better if you tell people you have an alarm, just so they don’t have the same peace of mind when they decide to break in. If they see a sign telling them the house is wired they won’t come near it.
 
Bill Walter has recently started writing home improvement topics and regards home security as the top most priority. Refer the mentioned link to get knowledge on best home security system.
General Safety Issues

NATIONAL ANIMAL SAFETY & PROTECTION MONTH – OCTOBER

This is the time to celebrate our animals, and all they mean to us.  If we have had a bad day or good day at work or school, our pets are there to greet us with their unique personality, not judging us by how we greet them.  This is our chance to repay them for the pleasure they give us by taking extra good care of them.

There are thousands of abused and abandoned dogs, cats, and other animals in our country.  Many rescue foundations have taken these animals and nurtured them back to good health, hoping that some family will see how special they are, and give them a home.  During the month of October, animal shelters and rescues throughout our country hold special events to raise awareness about animal safety and protection, encouraging us to celebrate and respect animals by making a difference in their lives.  If you suspect an animal is being ignored or abused, call your local animal control officer, or ASPCA.

Several ways you can protect your pet are through feeding them healthy diets.  Too many snacks can make them sick.  Obesity can be a problem with cats or dogs, just the same as people.  Make sure their shots are current.  Have them neutered or spayed.  See that your dog gets exercise every day – taking them for a walk is a gift.  Just getting to sniff out a different territory means the world to them!

Because of the drought and wildfires in many parts of the U.S., we are still seeing more and more wildlife coming into populated areas.  They are desperate for food and water. It’s hard for deer, foxes, coyotes, and other wildlife to come that close to homes, but they are in dire need.  Hopefully, with rain and cooler weather, they will find ways to survive.  The good will of people can help by filling containers nearby with water or food.

The love and devotion of dogs toward their humans is most evident when observing a service dog in action.  It is fascinating to learn how much time is spent on training service dogs.  Golden Retrievers make excellent therapy dogs; those persons who wish to train their dogs to visit patients in hospitals, etc., must be certified and insured.  Guide dogs are the “eyes” for their owners.  Search and rescue dogs, as those used to find missing, injured, or dead, bomb and drug detection dogs, that work for the military and law enforcement play vital roles in the job for which they are trained.  They are considered their trainers’ partners, and carry out their responsibilities with no fear.  How wonderful to see these “teams in action.”

Most of us don’t own a “wonder-dog” or “wonder-cat,” but do you ever wonder what you’d do without them?  We have to give them up sometime, but while we have them, it’s up to us to see that they are cared for as any other member of our family.  Trips to the vet, being included in the “family fire escape plan”, or any other evacuation plan are just some of the things that little four-legged friend deserves.

I made a comment one day that I had to go let our “grandpups” out, and a friend replied, “why do you people want so many dogs?”  I replied, well, we only have one, but our entire family loves animals.  I feel sad for her that she doesn’t know how rewarding it is to have a “best friend” that gets to live with you every day.  Please be especially thoughtful to your pets this month; probably you already are.  If not, just look into those eyes and wonder what they think of you!  “Thanks, Buddy!”

Buddy