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Bringing a new pet into your house can be a lot like bringing home a baby. Just like new parents have to baby-proof a home, new pet owners will also need to do some pet-proofing. Read below for some ideas and tips on how to get your home ready for your next furry family member. Search out dangers Do a thorough ground level investigation of your home. Take this a step further and get on your hands and knees to look for any dangerous items your pet could run into. You will be surprised how much more you find with the new perspective!
Check to make sure all of your house plants are non-toxic to your animals. Dieffenbachia, philodendron, and hyacinth are all examples of common houseplants that can be dangerous for pets if eaten.
Make sure all heating/air vents are covered. A tiny pup or kitten could easily slip into one.
Clean chemical spills and drips such as antifreeze from garage floors and driveways. A surprisingly small amount can be harmful or lethal to animals
Keep all sharp objects and tools out of reach and off of high counters where they could fall on pets below. As your pets grow, they will attempt to reach higher and higher surfaces and could knock something dangerous over onto themselves.
Keep laundry and shoes picked up off of the floor. Otherwise, you’ll get sick of buying new sneakers and socks very quickly!
Find the right products to help Many of the same products used for baby-proofing a home can also be useful for pet-proofing.
Use childproof latches to keep little paws and snouts from prying open cabinets.
Cover unused outlets with safety plugs.
Baby gates are also a good item to use to keep pets away from restricted areas or dangerous stairs.
Keep trouble out of reach Place medications, cleaners, chemicals, laundry supplies, and cosmetics out of the way, on high shelves, or stored in a cabinet.
Cover trash cans or keep them inside a cabinet. Apart from keeping your pet safe from the items inside, you will also be thankful that you won’t need to be constantly picking up shredded trash.
Place all food out of reach (even if the food isn’t harmful, the wrapper could be). Now that you are bringing in a new animal, it is also a good time to learn what foods can be toxic to it.
Keep the toilet lid closed to prevent drowning or drinking of harmful cleaning chemicals.
Arrange dangling wires from lamps, televisions, telephones, and appliances out of your pet's reach. Twist-ties or zip-tie cable are great for routing wires away to a less accessible area.
Put away children’s toys and games. These are often the targets of chewing and destruction as kid’s toys can be full of interesting smells from being handled and played with.
Put away knick-knacks and extra unneeded items that could either be broken or act as an unwanted chew toy. Your pet doesn’t know the difference between your items and its toys!