Every year our customers send us pictures of their beautiful WamBam and Zippity fences, often installed by their own hands, and every year we post their photos to our Facebook pages to show off their hard work, and to give them a chance to win prizes! We’re very excited to announce that 2017’s contests are officially underway, and if you have an active Facebook account you can participate by voting for your favorite entries in each line! This year’s contests are our biggest yet with over 75 total entries between our two product lines, WamBam and Zippity! Between the two lines, you can see installations not just of fencing but of mailbox posts, privacy screens, shower kits, and more! One of our favorite things about these contests is seeing the creative “outside-of-the-box” ways in which people use their products, and this year doesn’t disappoint! Both contests end on Friday, January 26th, and the winners are determined by popular vote. You can submit your votes by simply “liking” the photo you want to vote for. There is no limit to the number of photos you can like, so show as much love as you’d like! The top 3 photos from each contest will win the following cash prizes:

1st Place: $500

2nd Place: $250

3rd Place: $100

So if you want to see some great fencing and more installed by homeowners all over the country, check out our Facebook pages and vote for your favorite! And remember to check out our full product lines for WamBam Fence and Zippity Outdoor Products and you may be one of next year’s winners!

-WamBam Fence Contest can be found here

-Zippity Outdoor Products Contest can be found here

This piece on dog friendly gardens was written by freelance contributor Sally Perkins.

Image by David Clode on Upsplash

Fence Out The Pests: 5 Fast Facts About Animal Control

Did you know that since 1990, 60% of new houses are built in areas that are close to natural environments? This means that wild animals might mistake these new backyards as a part of their territory — after all, it likely was a part of their hunting grounds before the house went in. These five fast facts will give you a picture of how wildlife interacts with our backyards, and what we can do about it.

Snake Bites Are On The Rise

Experts estimate that over 1,300 children in the US get bitten by snakes each year. These numbers have been rising over the past several years. Dr. Robert Glatter, a doctor in New York City, says that the rise in bites is connected the expansion of housing developments.

Glatter says it this way: “With extensive urbanization and encroachment of housing developments into the natural habitats of snakes and other reptiles, children playing outdoors are at greater risk for encountering a snake and consequently suffering a snakebite.”.

There Are Five Species of Foxes In North America

Did you know that there are five different kinds of foxes in the US? These include the kit fox, red fox, arctic fox, grey fox, and island fox. These animals are omnivores, meaning that they hunt for small prey, such as rabbits, and also eat vegetation. Small animals, less than 5 lbs, are at risk of being killed by foxes. Home owners should pressure wash exterior areas such as fences, outer walls and sheds to remove any debris that foxes might be attracted to.

Coyote attacks have become more frequent in the past 30 years

Coyotes are small animals that are not usually identified as a threat to humans. However, the pattern in recent years is that attacks on humans, especially small children, is becoming more frequent. Coyotes in the Northeast are sometimes called Coywolves because they are wolf hybrids.

Millions Of Americans Need Help With Pest Control

Statistics show that in the early months of 2017, pest control was on the nation’s mind. 6.32 million Americans reported that they were planning on calling pest control help for their households over the next year.

Alligators

Alligators are common in Florida. These large animals can move quickly and have been known to bite humans. Fences deter alligators so that you don’t have to worry about encountering one when you step into the backyard.

Pests come in all shapes, and yard hygiene can help you keep them all out — from slithering snakes to surprisingly aggressive coyotes. Wild animals can be exciting to observe, but they can also be dangerous. They could present a threat to your, your family, and your pets. One important aspect of animal control is a secure, sturdy fence around the yard.

Photo by Justin Veenema on Unsplash.

This piece on garden fences was written by freelance contributor Sally Perkins. Check out her website www.oudoorartpros.com.

Safe Garden Fences for Dogs

Dogs love being out in the garden, playing, sniffing, digging and exploring their environment. A good doggy garden needs to be secure so you are certain that your dog can’t get out, or into the neighbor’s garden, where they might not be welcomed visitors. Investing in good quality garden fencing is essential. You might also want to put smaller fencing round flower beds or vegetable patches to make sure that your dog keeps out of areas you want kept beautiful. 

Dogs that love digging

Some breeds of dogs are notorious for digging, huskies and spitz dogs create earth bowls to roll and sit in to keep cool. Terriers love to go digging to search for vermin and rodents and this can cause damage. Beagles and basset hounds commonly dig under fences to try and get to prey like squirrels. Younger dogs are often the culprits when trying to make a bid to escape under garden fences. Installing vinyl or PVC fencing that goes below ground level, protecting your dog from getting into any mischief. 

Strategic planting for safety

Some dogs are not diggers, but acrobats – they love to jump over the fences. Rather than putting up fences that are too high and obstruct the view out of the garden, it is a good idea to plant large, bushy shrubs in front of your fences. This will be a deterrent to dogs that are high leapers. Boxers are famous for this. When you are creating your dog friendly garden, just make sure that the shrubs you plant are not of a spiky variety. 

Using safety mesh

If you already have slatted wooden picket fencing around your home, using wire safety mesh is a good way of keeping small dogs from escaping the garden. Chihuahuas and toy breeds of a similar size can easily slip underneath fences. Look for a galvanised metal that doesn’t rust. Using mesh is a cost-effective way to ensure that your dogs is kept safely in your garden and can easily be taken up or down using heavy duty tackers and staples. It is unobtrusive and won’t detract from the quality of your picket fence. 

Dogs are true members of the family and keeping them safe is important. The garden is somewhere that dogs can run around and enjoy being outdoors, and a good quality fencing means that they can be secure and happy.

It’s that time of year! Our 6th annual fencing photo contest is in full swing. This year is a little bit different because we are combining entries from our Zippity Outdoor Products line and our WamBam Fence line. Click on the album and vote for your favorite entry with a Facebook like. The contest ends Friday, February 24 and prizes are as follows:

1st prize: $500
2nd prize: $250
3rd prize: $100

What is Zippity Outdoor Products?

In 2010 when we launched WamBam Fence, we had quite a few calls for smaller fences. There seemed to be a lot of people renting houses or training puppies who were looking for more semi-permanent fences. They wanted a fencing solution that could be easily installed, removed if necessary, and at a lower price point. They were looking for a quick 2-5 year solution and not a lifetime permanent solution like WamBam Fence offers. We also had a lot of people converting our privacy panels into privacy screens to hide garbage cans or air conditioning units. Others were modifying our privacy panels into outdoor shower enclosures. As such, we created Zippity Outdoor Products to fulfill the need for this market. Check out the whole line here.

WamBam Fence

It goes without saying that even though we launched Zippity Outdoor Products, we are still going strong with our flagship product, WamBam Fence. WamBam offers permanent, lifetime warrantied fence solutions to DIY customers. Our specialty is that our fencing is no-dig. This means you can forget digging holes or pouring concrete with this innovative solution, available both in aluminum and vinyl. Check our our website here.

Now that you understand the different between the two brands, hop on over to our photo contest and cast your vote!

Sarah’s fencing is just one of many fabulous entries in this year’s fencing photo contest