Pets are more than a four-legged creature living in your home. They need time, attention, and most importantly, a safe and comfortable abode to stay. If you are bringing a pet home or moving to a new home, you need to design your house to be pet-safe.
Designing a house that is stylish, functional, and also pet-friendly is not always easy. But with proper planning and some fundamental changes in the décor, this can be achieved.
Here are a few tips to make your home a pet-friendly paradise for your furry friends.
Have a puppy-eye view of things
Put yourself in your pet’s place and try to have a look around to get a sense of things that might be dangerous for them. Inspect every corner of your home. Even those on a height that your pet might access by climbing and jumping. Once you do this, you will be surprised at how the things we take for granted might be hazardous for the pooch.
Keep human food and medicines at a safe place
Do not leave human food and medication at an area where the pet can access it. Most of the medicines that we take might be deadly for animals. If you keep your medicines in the bathroom or kitchen pantry, make sure you keep it up high in the shelf. Similarly, food items such as chocolate, grapes, raisins, and nuts can be poisonous for a dog and must be kept in an air-tight container in a top shelf.
Also, make sure there are no loose electric wires or sockets that can be dangerous for the animals.
Buy trash cans with lids
Animals, especially cats and dogs, have this tendency to get into the trash. If your pet can get into the trash can, they might face choking hazards due to fruit seeds, or chewed chicken bones. Not to forget all the mess that will be created due to trash-strewn continuously across your floor.
Therefore, it is recommended to trade your multiple small baskets with tall trash cans with lids. If at all you have a small trash basket for waste papers and other stuff in your study, do not place it in a low-lying area.
Install window screens
If you are living in a high-rise building with a cat as a pet, this is especially important. There has been a lot of cases recently of the cats falling out of high-rise buildings. To ensure the safety of your little animal, install screens on your window. Keep the cords short and folded at all the time to ensure the cat is not able to open the window-screen.
Have pet-friendly indoor plants
If you like your indoors to be green, make sure to bring plants that are pet-safe. Always check the ’ASPCA’s database of Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants before buying an indoor plant. Some common plants such as amaryllis, poinsettia, mums, and aloe vera can be toxic for animals.
Make way for tile flooring and get rid of the rugs and carpets
Carpets are not pet-friendly. Period. They cannot withstand damage and inevitable scratching. The fur from the bodies of dogs and cats gets stuck in the carpets, which gets extremely difficult to remove. Also, carpet can absorb nasty odours which stay there even after washing. Therefore, it is a better idea to invest in ceramic or tile flooring, which can be easily moped, washed and cleaned.
Always see having a pet as having a toddler in the house. Anything and everything should always be kept in its place. “I will remove it in some time’ should be replaced with ‘I am removing it now’ and you will be okay.
