Are Ultrasonic Pest Repellers Safe for Pets?

There are many ways to chase away unwanted guests but many people prefer to use ultrasonic devices – it is entirely up to you to choose the best ultrasonic pest repeller. The fact that it is safe for the environment makes this electronic device very popular among many homeowners. It can get rid of insects and rodents without compromising their own health.

Even if there is little empirical evidence to confirm that these products will repel pests, there are many people very happy with the results. Some studies show that pests learn to get used to the sound, while others show that they are unaffected by it. Regardless of how effective they are, the great fear pet owners have is that the high-pitched noises will affect their beloved pets.

That is why we’ve decided to clarify certain aspects for you as we want you to feel confident with the choices you make. So, if you’ve decided to opt for an ultrasonic pest repeller but you are afraid that it will affect your dog or cat, or other small animals you have, you should continue on reading this article as you will find some interesting information.

Ultrasonic pest repellers

In order to find out if these devices are harmful to your beloved pet, you should understand what they are and how they actually work. Ultrasonic pest repellents produce high-frequency sounds (ultrasounds) that will bother rodents, spiders, insects, and other types of pests. The pests will start to feel uncomfortable and they will look for a shelter somewhere else.

These ultrasonic devices come in various styles and models, and that is why you should inform yourself very well before purchasing one. It is important what type of pest you want to repel and then you can choose the right type of repellents. These units produce different sound frequencies depending on their intended purpose.

Moreover, they will also produce sounds at varying volumes which means that you have to make sure that you read all the specifications in order to enjoy complete results. There are devices that are called electromagnetic devices and what they do is to create low-frequency sounds by using your electrical power.

Most ultrasound repellers produce sounds at frequencies above 20 kilohertz that cannot be heard by the human ear. This means that the only ones that will suffer are those annoying intruders which can also put your health at risk. We all know that rodents and insects can transmit salmonella, hantavirus, or other pathogens.

Moreover, these pests can also be quite destructive and they can cause significant damage to your building. Ultrasound devices are simply plugged in and they will start emitting high-pitched sounds that will put most pests on the run.

How do they work?

Ultrasonic devices are everything you can dream of – they are safe for your health as they don’t contain any chemicals like many other types of pest repellers. This is very important, as we all want to remain healthy and most important, we don’t want to put our family’s health at risk. Moreover, if we have pets we want them to remain safe and sound.

If you were wondering which are the frequencies many animals are capable of hearing, you should know that they can hear sounds as high as 45 to 67 kilohertz. This means that the sounds emitted by ultrasonic devices can be heard by many animals, including dogs. However, if the sounds aren’t extremely loud they will not affect or cause any discomfort to them.

It is easy to think about some examples when ultrasonic devices are used on dogs in order to make them do certain things. Dog trainers will use these types of devices in the form of dog whistles to make the furry companions cooperate with them. Also, there are many flea collars that are equipped with ultrasonic devices and they will not bother the dog at all.

Your dogs hear high-pitched sounds every day and they are not bothered by them, and the same goes for the ultrasonic devices. The sounds they produce are not something that will affect your furry companions as they have learned how to ignore them. Also, if you have decided to use the ultrasonic devices, you should know that they do not penetrate objects too easily.

Are they effective?

There are many manufacturers that have made in-house studies on the ultrasound devices they sell and they declare themselves very satisfied with the results. That is why they encourage people to buy their products promising that they will help them get rid of pests in a very humane and safe manner. Who can say no to a product that is harmless for everyone involved?

Unfortunately, there were many third-party studies that didn’t manage to prove the effectiveness of these types of units. We can remember the 1997 review by Stephen A. Shumake, with the Denver Wildlife Research Center, which showed that only six commercial units produced minimum effects – the major problem was that most pests got used to the sounds quite fast.

Other studies, such as the one done in 2010 showed that some ultrasonic repellents, instead of repelling the pests, managed to attract them. The investigation was published in the “Journal of Vector Ecology” and the pests that were attracted were mosquitoes. Although many reports will doubt the effectiveness of these units, there are many buyers very happy with the results.

There are many homeowners that have witnessed complete results and they totally recommend these types of devices to those people who want to enjoy a pest-free environment without compromising their health. You are the one responsible for the choice you make, and that is why the decision is entirely yours when it comes to choosing the right pest repellent device.

Ultrasonic devices that repel dogs

There are ultrasonic devices that repel annoying pests, but some manufacturers have also come up with ultrasonic units that are directed at dogs. No one wants to hurt animals, and people feel comfortable using these types of products to chase away dogs as they know that they will not harm them.

These units are specifically meant to make dogs go away, and there are many happy customers who have managed to protect themselves against dogs thanks to these types of products. The dogs’ reactions are different – while some dogs ran away from the sound, there were others that did not get disturbed by the high-frequency sounds.

Since there is no specific evidence to prove that dogs are or are not bothered by ultrasonic pest repellents, it is recommended that you consult a vet before using one to repel pests from your home. It is always better to be safe than sorry, and we should always ask for advice from a professional in order to ensure that our pet’s health is not being compromised.

Furthermore, it is recommended that you don’t use the ultrasonic devices very close to your dogs or in those areas that are often frequented by them.

Bibliography:

1) Can Dogs Hear Ultrasonic Sound?

2) Ultrasonic electronic pest and insect repellent devices

3) The Claim Behind Ultrasonic Pest Repellers

4) What is the Effect of Electronic Pest Repellent on Dogs?