shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com February 23, 2016 • Page 7 Spring Tips to Attract Beautiful Birds to Your Yard Pet Owners: Tips to Keep Floors in Tip Top Shape (StatePoint) When hosting neighbors and friends for spring gatherings, your thoughts may dwell on accommodating guests. But how often do you consider your animal visitors? “During spring, flocks of birds migrate and are looking for places to refuel and rest,” says Spencer Schock, Founder of WindowAlert, makers of bird-friendly products for homes. “A few small tweaks to your yard, is like placing out a welcome mat.” Unfortunately, migration is not without peril or hardship, but Schock says turning your home into a refuge for birds can be fun and add beauty to your yard. He offers these tips to keep feathered travelers safe during their migratory journey. (StatePoint) Whether you share your home with dogs, cats, birds, turtles or anything in between, you are probably aware of the challenges of protecting and cleaning your floors. To make this chore as easy for you as it is for your non-pet parent peers, consider the following tips: • Protect flight: Millions of birds die annually by striking glass, making windows a hazard to birds in flight. Try applying special decals that reflect ultraviolet sunlight to your home’s windows, particularly those windows that are highly reflective of open sky. Pets in Boots Outfitting pets with boots before going outside will protect their paws from pollutants, hot and cold surfaces, and potentially sharp items on the ground. It will also keep their feet and your floors cleaner. There are many brands and styles available, so shop around for a design that your pets will enjoy wearing. The decals won’t affect your view because they’re virtually invisible to humans, but will help keep birds safe. For example, those from WindowAlert have patterns that give the appearance of slightly frosted translucent glass, but glow like a stoplight for birds. The brand also makes a high-tech liquid called WindowAlert UV Liquid, which can be applied between decals. Post-Walk Clean-Up After walks or other trips outdoors, check your pet’s fur and feet. Keep a cloth by the door for a quick clean-up before animals settle in and get cozy on carpets. This will make maintaining floors easier as you go. Prevent Accidents glass covering the departure point of a flight tunnel, the more birds avoided it (a net protected all the birds in the study from actually getting hurt, no matter where they chose to fly). door spaces more bird-friendly filling your garden with the right plants and flowers for pollinating bird species. • Watch and record: Grab a pair of binoculars and a field guide book and take note of the types of birds you see and when. This will help you become better prepared for next season. In addition, consider becoming a “citizen scientist” by submitting your observations to The Audubon Society and Cornell University’s database at ebird.org. • Bed and Breakfast: Birdfeeders come in all shapes, sizes and styles, and simply adding one to your yard can help beautify it and give birds the energy needed to continue their flight. Remember though, bird strikes are often a problem near bird feeders, as feeding birds are easily frightened and are apt to take wild, evasive flight; position feeders closer than three feet or farther than 30 feet from windows. If your feeder is close to the window, birds fly away from the house. Believe it or not, the safest type of feeder is the kind that attach to the window itself. For more tips on making your home and garden a bird haven, visit WindowAlert.com. Prevent pooch accidents by getting your dog on a regular Such ultraviolet decals have been walk schedule. The knowledge that the next trip outdoors scientifically proven to keep birds safer. is on the horizon will make pets less likely to use the living room carpet as a toilet. If need be, you may want to consider A 2015 American Bird Conservancy Study found that the more WindowAlert employing a day-time dog walker to make trips outdoors a decals that were applied to a piece of You can also make your home’s outmore regular occurrence. If you have litter box issues, keep the box clean to encourage dedicated use. Regular visits to the veterinarian can help ensure there are no health 2014 2013 Chevy Avalanche 2015 Ford F150 Crew issues at play. LTZ Cab XLT 4x4 “By making a few simple modifications to your yard and home, you can assist birds on their long journey,” says Schock. Dodge Journey SXT Choose Flooring Wisely Until now, even the best prevention of stains and accidents has offered no guarantees. And shedding of fur, feathers and dander is hard to avoid. However, innovations in flooring are making it easier on those who love their pets but are not interested in forfeiting a clean, stain-free and odor-free home. Give yourself an advantage with a pet proof carpet, such as Mohawk’s SmartStrand Forever Clean carpet, which is designed to resist the challenges pets present. Compared to nylon carpet which absorbs up to five percent of its weight in liquid, this alternative has zero percent moisture absorption to resist stains and eliminate any residue that can be left in the fiber which can lead to a musty, dingy odor. (These features will also benefit those with kids.) It also offers a permanent spill and soil shield that makes cleanup of hair, soil and dander three times easier than with conventional carpeting. 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