Nobody likes to swim along, minding your own business and run straight into an enormous palmetto bug that has seen better days or, worse yet, a belly-up lizard. And we certainly don’t love finding the occasional deceased toad in our swimming pool filters.

You really want to try to prevent critters, especially larger ones, from getting into your pool. They can scratch your liner and require disinfectant shock treatment. Aside from all of that, it’s kind of creepy, and we would all rather see those creatures alive…somewhere other than in our pool. Thank goodness, there are a few things that can help:

• You can install grates over pool overflow as well as skimmer baskets to prevent smaller creatures from being swept in.
• Young birds, opossums, squirrels and raccoons can fall or jump from overhanging limbs, so keep your trees trimmed.
• You can also affix ropes around the edges of your pool or create a ramp to help animals climb out.
• Fences, which are required by law in Florida, can help keep larger animals such as deer and dogs from accidentally falling into your pool.
• One of the best safety measures to prevent accidental drowning of animals in your pool, is a pool cover. Drum tight safety pool covers can literally hold thousands of pounds, and they also help keep debris out of the pool.

If you do happen to see an animal struggling in your pool, you can help. Leaf skimmers can be used to help get small animals to safety and a pool chair in the shallow end can sometimes help larger animals climb out on their own.