We have been having a problem in my neighborhood for the last 2-3 months with some animal (we assume it is a dog) coming in the middle of the night, knocking over trash cans, dragging the trash bag out of it, and then dragging the trash bag into someone else's yard (mostly mine) and digging through the bag.
I have contacted animal control and was informed that the small city that I live in only contracts for 1 hour of county animal control services a month. So they may or may not be able to catch the dog. I have bought dog repellent granules from Home Depot, they worked about 1 week. I have tried black pepper, red pepper and chili powder.
I have sprayed my can repeatedly with bleach which keeps them out of my garbage. I have even sprinkled bleach around the perimeter of my yard. This is getting expensive. Does anyone have any other suggestions? Has anyone tried the ultrasonic dog repellents in the yard, do they work?
Install motion sensor lights or noise machines (discount spooky halloween sound machines are good), or motion sensored sprinkler systems, keep garbage inside garage until trash day, use bungy cords on lids, recycling and composting produces less trash for critters to go through...
Don't use bleach - Toxins produced as a result of bleach use build up in the environment, cause dangers to the water supply, kill fish, harm animals, and get back to people through the food chain.
I don't know what kind of trash can you have. We have the big heavy duty plastic one with the flip cover. Well, we had the same problem with animals getting into it so this is what my husband did. He drilled two small holes, spaced apart, on the front of the cover and two small holes midway down in the trash can and hooked small bungee cords in a crisscross to the holes and we never had an animal touch the trash again. Plus, they are easy to remove the day the trash company comes to pick up the trash.
I have used both ammonia and bleach successfully to keep the animals out of MY trash. However, what do I do about the dogs dragging other peoples trash into my yard. Example today, I cleaned up trash from house #629 on my street and I live at #616. So the animal is not only dragging trash across, but also down the street and goes to the same place in my back yard every time. I have tried mothballs (bought 2 boxes) and they haven't keep the animals out of my yard. And yes they do stink really bad. I have thought about putting a note in all of my neighbors mailboxes about the problem and asking them to spray bleach or ammonia on their trash. I have already done this with my closest neighbors who have also had to clean up garbage. Is this going to far?
Ammonia works BUT remember the garbage men. My mother always sprayed bug spray on her cans and bags any cheap kind. One taste and the pests run away. Also the smell does not overwhelm your garbage men.
We keep a stretchable bungee cord across the top of our garbage containers. It is tight and hooked to the handles on the container. If I have food in the container I use two bungee cords that are crisscrossed. I try to keep the food scraps in the freezer until time to take the trash off especially during the summer months. This keeps the garbage from attracting flies and smelling.
Our two containers are small and easy to handle so when it's time to take the trash to the dump, we put them in the back of the truck. With the bungee cord holding the lid on tight, there's no risk of the lid blowing off and us losing trash out of the back of our truck.
I can tell you one alternative that we used. We use the metal trash cans. Go to any local hardware store or hardware supply store & buy clamps which you can affix to your trash can & fit up over the lid. These will keep the critters from getting the lids off as they are kept on by applied pressure
I doubt ammonia or any other chemical will keep the critter out of your trash. And it may not be a dog either. It could very well be a skunk, raccoon or some other noctural rascal. The best solution is to build or buy a wooden box to place the trash cans into with a lid that can be secured. The other solution is to stop putting food in the trash. That would also include containers that held food items. The food smell is what attracts the varmits.
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Request: Keeping Animals Out of Your Garbage Can
Archived on 10/06/2008
How can I keep animals from upending my garbage pail all over my lawn? I have put bungy cords on lids with heavy rocks on top! Short of building a box large enought to hold cans, I'm stymied.
Poopsey
Answers:
RE: Keeping Animals Out of Your Garbage Can
Try sprinkling clear ammonia over your trash barrels. Voila! Animals will stay out. (06/29/2005)
By Karen
RE: Keeping Animals Out of Your Garbage Can
If your garbage can has handles, drive a metal rod into the ground then put the handle through the rod. The garbage can will not tip over and the animals will not be able to get at the contents. (06/30/2005)
By Tedebear
RE: Keeping Animals Out of Your Garbage Can
We cleaned our trash cans out with Lysol disinfectant. Then every time I put the trash out we poured Lysol on the lid. We never had anymore problems. (06/30/2005)
By Sandy
RE: Keeping Animals Out of Your Garbage Can
The ammonia does work. My friend had a problem with bears getting into her trash. She was told by the game warden to spray her trash with ammonia. She keeps a spray bottle filled with ammonia handy and every time trash goes out, she sprays the bag and then puts it into the can. She then sprays the can. After a rain, it must be reapplied. She hasn't had any problems for years by doing this. (06/30/2005)
Ammonia! So many wonderful uses, and I can attest to what the others said about it keeping animals out of your garbage.. I don't have trash cans, only trash bags, and it works just as well.. If you put a few tablespoons inside the bag before tying it up, even if they bite into the bag they get a snoot-full of the ammonia and run off... works great! (07/01/2005)
