5 Tips to Pet-Proof Your Home
Bringing a pet into your family can be a wonderful, life-shaping event but it also is a big responsibility. A fancy new home will peak the curiosity of almost any animal and providing a safe place for them to roam and explore is incredibly important. In the spirit of animal safety, let's take a look at a few practical pet proofing plans that will turn your home from an obstacle course to a playground!
1) Store Medicines & Other Toxins
It's important to always keep toxic materials on high shelves or in locked cabinets so they won't be in reach of any inquisitive little friends. Many materials are hazardous to animals, even some that are perfectly safe for us! It's always best to be informed about the medicines and products that can make your pet sick and keep anything questionable well out of reach. Child-proof containers are mostly pet proof but should be safely tucked away in a medicine cabinet just to be sure. Even keeping your bathroom door closed can create a nice barrier between your new friend and a world of dangerous curiosities!
2) Not All Plants Are Safe Many common household plants can be very toxic for cats and dogs so it is important to take precautions for their safety. Take a walk around your yard to see what plants you have that can be reached by your pet and identify them. There are many wonderful apps you can use to help identify wild plants just by taking a picture! Knowing which plants grow in your yard can help keep our little friends safe while they are out exploring but the plants on the inside of your home can be just as harmful. You may have a plant in your home that is safe for you to touch but absolutely toxic to a cat or a dog. Here’s a list of some common houseplants that can make your dog or cat very sick:
- Oleander
- Tulips
- Daffodil
- Cyclamen
- Hyacinth
- Azalea
- Autumn Crocus
- Kalanchoe
- Sago Palm
- Amaryllis
- Lilies
This list is by no means complete and to be sure it’s best to check with ASPA’s detailed and comprehensive list of plants toxic to cats & dogs: ASPCA List
3) Hide The Grub! We all love food, right? And we all can appreciate the temptation of foods that aren’t so kind to our bellies! These temptations are not lost on our pets and there are many foods in our cupboards right now that can be very harmful to dogs and cats! Coffee, onions, and chocolate will make a dog sick while other foods can cause choking hazards due to peelings, wrappers, and pits! It’s best to take steps to hide your food items in places the pets are unable to reach. You can buy a dog food vault to keep pet food extra safe but the same precautions can be taken by simply closing your pantry and cabinets. Keeping food on the kitchen counter is a picture-perfect trend for the foodies among us but this accessible food can really hurt an animal sometimes and it might be best to keep our snacks locked away or in hanging baskets!
4) Keep Many Chew Toys We all know the number one tools to keep our dogs from chewing everything in the house are discipline and training. We also know that sometimes a chew toy can do the trick! Squeaky little distractions, a chew toy can relieve the pent up anxiety dogs can feel when they aren’t able to stretch their chomp muscles! Years of being our best friends have taught our pets to be like us when it comes to snacking when bored (and an indoor animal can get very bored!) The things around the house for a dog to chew can range wildly from shoes to wires, from the remote to the wall, and lots of these things can be very harmful to pets. A dog can suffocate from eating wall materials and we all know the dangers of a chewed up wire! It is better to buy up some squeaky toys and give your pet a fun and safe alternative.
5) Dangling Dangers Speaking of wires, let’s talk about the dangers of hanging wires and cords to a curious pet. Not only is there a choking risk involved in getting tangled in wires but there’s also potential to knock over large devices like lamps, telephones, or the TV. Even window treatments can be dangerous to pets in this way with many blinds having long cords for opening and closing. That's where we come in!
As a member of the Window Coverings Manufacturers Association (WCMA) and the Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC), we’ve made window covering safety a top priority. By partnering with these organizations, Budget Blinds Edmonton & St. Albert is shaping the future for the window covering industry and its focus on safety.
