As more undeveloped land is taken for house lots and commercial areas, the natural habitat for wildlife is increasingly restricted. Sightings of animals such as coyote and deer are more frequent. The need for a way of protecting pets from potentially aggressive wildlife increases.
One of the best ways to keep pets safe is to build a wire fence. To protect against coyotes it is best to use a six foot height. You can either bury 12 inches in the ground or bend it so it lays on top of the ground to the outside of the enclosure as an apron. This will discourage digging.
There are many choices of welded wire fencing and woven wire fencing meshes available:
Welded wire fencing - Galvanized Before Weld (GBW), Galvanized After Weld (GAW) and Vinyl Coated (VC)
- 14 gauge, 1"x2" and 2"x4" mesh
- 12.5 gauge, 2"x4" mesh
Woven wire fencing -
Any of the fences listed above can make your yard safe for your pet. Follow the links for a more detailed description of their features.
- Apron fence - 17 gauge, 1.5" hex netting mesh
- Deer & Wildlife fence - 12.5 gauge high tensile wire
- 2"x4" mesh non-climb fence - 12.5 gauge
- Emu & Ostrich fence - 12.5 gauge
- Poultry & Garden/Deer & Orchard fence - 14.5 gauge wire
There is an informative blog article in The San Fransisco Examiner: "Tails From The City". It has some additional non-fence advice for protecting pets from coyotes.
