Ponds can be wonderful additions to your yard. They can provide a place to learn about nature and wildlife, as well as being a quiet spot to relax and have fun. Unfortunately, like swimming pools, they can also be a hazard that many people don’t think of until it’s too late. That’s why you need to know about these garden pond and backyard pond safety tips, even if you don’t have a pond on your property.
- Perhaps you’re considering building a pond that is large enough for you to go fishing. Maybe you only want a small pond in the center of your garden. Regardless of the pond’s size, you’ll need to make sure that it is as safe as possible by making sure neighbors know of its presence and posting safety rules.
- Research the local ordinances where you live to determine what safety laws you have to follow. You may be required to place a fence around your pond if it’s a specific size or depth.
- When deciding where to place a small garden pond, try to locate it where children won’t be tempted to visit it by themselves. You may also want to place it where it can be easily seen from inside the house.
- Let children know they’re not allowed near the pond without an adult, even if they know how to swim. Ponds can appear to be safe but you can never tell where the safety ledge is within any given pond. The ledge may drop off quickly and they might not be prepared for it.
- Require children to wear shoes when going near or into the pond, especially if it is a backyard pond with fish. The edges of ponds tend to be slippery, shoes may help to keep visitors from falling even if they don’t wade in very far.
- Children should also be taught not to go in any water where they can’t see the bottom. Seeing the bottom is not a guarantee of safety, but this pond safety rule could keep them from going into a pond with dirty water where they don’t know how deep the water is.
- If there are animals around the pond which aren’t family pets, don’t go near them. They’re wild animals and might bite. If you’d like to watch the animals, do so from a safe distance with a pair of binoculars.
- Learn about the plants which may be around your pond, particularly if the pond was there before you arrived. Explain to the children that it’s not safe to chew on plants because some may be poisonous. Learn to recognize the dangerous plants by site, symptoms these plants may cause, and the first aid actions to take.
- Do not drink water from the pond. Birds and other animals may come to the pond to drink. In the process they may also go to the bathroom in the pond. Insects (and other animals) may lay eggs in the water. This makes the water hazardous to drink.
Whether you have a pond on your property or there is one in the neighborhood, your family needs to know and practice pond safety. If you have never considered the possible hazards of ponds, use these garden pond and backyard pond safety tips to begin learning how to keep everyone safe.
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