How to keep burglars out and pets in? Help!

Hiya,

Seeking some advice from smarter people than I!

I'd like to make some additions to our courtyard for our animals (a young, strong, anxious dog and an indoor cat) but keep running into hurdles.

I'd like to make changes so that soon, we can install a doggy door and allow the pets to come and go from the yard while we're not home. At the moment however, our cat could probably jump over the fence or squeeze through a couple of gaps, and we reckon our dog could jump over them too.

We've discussed putting cat netting over the entirety of the top of the yard but would still need to fill the gap in the fence on the left hand side (currently some old wood in there😂). Netting is easy for thieves to get into though... We also have a huge tree behind us that drops heavy branches into our yard and might destroy the netting.

We've also discussed raising our fence on the left hand side and installing a cage of sorts that just encompasses the left hand side of the yard so that the animals could wander in and out of a doggy door on the left but we have no idea how to do that, and also think it might not look great.

Any suggestions? Anyone managed to burglar and pet proof a tiny yard like this? Is there an obvious solution that I'm completely missing?

Cheers
Adjoining with neighbours yard

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Comments

StevieB

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @Shayf. It's fantastic to see you make your first post.

Let me tag @sydneysider, @TheSaltyreefer and @TedBear who may be able to offer suggestions to kick off this discussion. Our resident D.I.Y. expert @EricL will also be happy to help when he's back on the site on Friday.

Stevie

TedBear

That's a hard task to set. Banks have spent millions trying to stop burglars, but you can at least deter them from using the back yard. Keeping a cat in is even harder (Cat burglar! The ultimate trespasser.)

I offered a solution that worked, to our local dog shelter to prevent dogs climbing over Cyclone-wire fences (as some do), which may also work for you.

The solution was to add a series of 45° angled brackets, extending inwards about 300mm, along the fence tops. Then stretching wires along them. The barrier is formed by the animal needing to scale the fence (easy for cats), but then needing to climb outward, under the angled section to get over the top... not so easy. It should also deter people wanting to climb the other way. (Maybe you could add a warning sign facing outward that "this fence top may be electrified", as a further deterrent. Of course it won't be, that would be illegal. )

Brad

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/14749#Comment_14749

A variation on the angle theme is a rolling top so the little darlings can't get a grip to pull themselves up and with the right diamiter it should work for 4 and 2 legged creatures.

Bunnings does have a revolving triangle system that doesn't have a great review.

Oscillot is a commercial product not stocked by Bunnings based on a rolling top system.

Jason

Hi @Shayf,

Great to see that you have received some helpful suggestions from our members.

Just thought I'd point you to some cat enclosure projects that members have previously shared for some inspiration:

Indoor to outdoor cat tower by @Shannon

Cat enclosure by @Chrissie35

Cat tunnel by @catstuff

Hope that helps.

Jason

MitchellMc

Hi @Shayf,

Have you had any thoughts on what options you might choose?

I feel the best deterrent for intruders would be to install some obvious security cameras, perhaps some floodlighting for the nights and some signs on your garage door notifying of the dog's presence. An intruder will then likely move on from your property as it won't be a convenient target.

I can see you have the same breed of dog as my last one. They look almost identical, and mine was just as anxious as yours. I can't imagine too many intruders willing to jump into a courtyard with its presence.

Regarding your pets getting over the fence, do you know if there are any stipulations on the allowable height? If there are no height restrictions, you should find @ProjectPete's guide on How to add an extension to a Colorbond fence useful. I also really like @TedBear's idea of a 45-degree angle atop the fence, and perhaps you could make the timber more permanent by screwing it in with mending plates? @Brad's suggestion of a roller system also sounds interesting.

I look forward to hearing about what options you're interested in, and please let us know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

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