For Wildlife

• Montana's state agency of Fish, Wildlife and Parks recommends the use of electric fences for bear deterrence. Modern electric fences, called electric fence energizers, deliver a rapid burst of electricity that is considered safe for pets and children. Construction quality and fence maintenance determine an electrical fence's efficacy and safety.
  
  

How It Works

• An electric fence works when something makes contact with it. When a person or animal touches an electric fence, a current passes through, reaching a grounding rod in the soil and then returning to the electric fence energizer's ground terminal. The human or animal that touches the fence completes a generated electrical circuit. The entire process completes in an estimated 0.00003 second.
  
  

Precautions

• The Harvard Community Garden in Harvard, Massachusetts, uses an electric fence to keep out deer. People in the vicinity are warned to keep infants and infirm people away. They should not tamper with the energizer unit and should keep metal tools away from the electric fence.