Everyone that has seen a pet inside a house will know that they are mischievous, clever, naughty yet cute. Pet owners realize the fact that responsible ownership does not only entail providing food, shelter, and care to the animals. It involves a careful process of transition and adaptation towards the pet’s needs and adjusting the human lifestyle to theirs.
For every nook and cranny that your home has, cats or dogs can get into them and cause trouble. Although these hilarious memories become cherished moments, there is a certain level of danger when animals are allowed to freely interact with objects in the house. If you are about to welcome a new furry member into your home, let’s pet-proof your house, one room at a time.
Kitchen/Dining Room
Where’s that pleasant aroma coming from? A kitchen is a place of wonder, warmth and tasty home-cooked meals. Although it may appear as heaven in your pet’s eyes, there’s a lot of toxic items located in the kitchen that they should not consume. Say that you own a dog. Dogs cannot eat chocolate, grapes, raisins, avocados and many more foods that humans enjoy. If you let them in and allow them to jump around the room, they can reach over your table and eat the chocolate bar you left behind. If possible, train them at an early age that the kitchen is a restricted area. You can also opt to install a gate or a door to keep them out. Install child-proof latches on cabinets and drawers to avoid prying paws from opening them.
Bathrooms
It may look adorable when your pet follows you into the bathroom and snuggles with you during your downtime. However, this is only ideal when you’re around. When unsupervised, your animals may find their way into the bathroom and wreak havoc there. Any toxic chemicals like industrial cleaners should be placed in high cabinets with doors. Purchase trash cans that have a lid to avoid your pets from ravaging the contents. Also, it would help to ask for help from family members to keep the toilet lid closed once they’re done. Not to mention the fact that the bathroom door must be closed at all times!
Living Room
The heart of any home is the living area. The living room is where all family members gather around for a quality time. Since the living room is filled with entertainment systems, your pets may trip on wires from the television, smartphone chargers, laptop cords and more. Before bringing your pet home, take a look at your wiring system and learn some DIY cable management. Your television may get knocked over by your pet, and it won’t be replaced immediately because it’s not covered by your insurance policy, If you have small children, teaching them to organize their toys in their proper places. Dogs, when bored, can chew and play with your children’s toys and this can be a health risk. Also, avoid displaying fragile items that can be knocked over by a pet. As a rule of thumb, always tidy things up and keep them out of your pets’ way.
Garage/Basement
This place is often a man-cave for all the dads out there. Most of the time, pets will follow just about anyone when they need someone to cuddle with. However, the basement or the garage is likely filled with bolts, screws and toxic chemicals like pesticides, gasoline, and oil that is deadly when ingested. Much like the kitchen, teach your pet that animals aren’t allowed in this area. Make sure to lock the door when you leave.
Bedroom
Probably an area of shared comfort between you and your pet, your bedroom should always be tidied of small objects like earrings, shoelaces, or socks that they can chew and destroy. Cosmetic products like lotions and moisturizers must be kept out of their reach. If possible, purchase a shoe drawer that is elevated from the ground. Also, always tidy up your room to avoid misfortunes like chewed shoes, plugs, wires and cases of missing slippers.
Home insurance policies such as Allstate home insurance cover the cost of damaged valuables such as electronics, furniture, and sports equipment, but not those that are ripped or scratched by your pet. However, if your fur buddy damages someone else’s personal property, you can take advantage of liability coverage provided by your insurance policy. So even if your pet is considered family, it’s important that you give them established boundaries, routines, and restrictions. This will prevent them from damaging your valuables and save you from hefty replacement costs.
