Renovating a Home? Here’s How to Keep Your Pet Safe

Arranging for some home renovations can put a house into chaos for days or weeks. It has the ability to affect pets even more than humans, since pets have no idea what is going on or when it will end. Whether you’re working to increase your home’s value or trying to make your place more pet-friendly through strategic updates, these tips can reduce stress in a homeowner’s pets, ensure a better result for their projects and keep everyone a little more content.

Take Responsibility

The biggest thing to keep in mind is that a professional coming to the home to complete an upgrade project needs to focus on the task at hand. This will be easier to accomplish if the contractors are not worried about opening a door, frightening a dog, or letting the house cat outside. Homeowners should recognize that they remain in charge of the management of the home, even if it feels like half the house is topsy-turvy with construction. Taking control will help everyone involved to feel better, and keeps pets safer.

Create Safe Spaces

Unless the entire home is undergoing an overhaul, there are plenty of places throughout the house that should be safe for a pet to hang out. Dogs who sleep in crates or go into the crates when they need a break should have access to them whenever they need it. This might involve moving the crates in advance of the project, so the dogs have time to adjust. If any part of the house is off-limits during construction, pets should be able to reach food, water and a litter box as needed. Safety also involves keeping pets out of construction areas that may pose hazards before the job is complete, even if the workers are not there at the time.

Stick to Routines

Like small children, pets thrive on routines. They tend to stick to natural schedules of eating, sleeping, playing, and resting. Homeowners who help their pets maintain their preferred routines during construction will find that their pets are better able to adjust to the temporary hassle and confusion. People whose pets tend to wake up early can start construction sooner in the day, but should consider limiting loud tasks after the sun goes down. Following habits of walking or play throughout the day reassures pets that everything is all right.

Seek Medical Advice

Stress on the body tends to bring up symptoms that have been hiding under the surface, and this is true for all kinds of animals. Pets who have chronic conditions, especially those that have not yet been diagnosed, may struggle even more to cope with the intrusion of home upgrades. If the pet has not had a full check-up in several months, it might be a wise investment to have the vet take a look and confirm that the pet is in good overall health. Likewise, if the project seems to unearth some serious health issues, going to the vet as soon as possible during construction may minimize suffering.

Find Temporary Housing

There are kinds of home improvement projects that are simply too loud, too long, or too complicated for a pet to handle without feeling badly. Some pets just cannot deal with any task at all, due to age or temperament. In this case, it may make sense to arrange for temporary housing and care for the pet off the property. Going to stay with a knowledgeable friend or relative, or even in the caring hands of a familiar kennel, may give a pet a necessary break and allow the work to be completed more quickly.

Home improvements with pets takes careful planning. Homeowners should take control, create safe spots, maintain routines, and consider outside help. With these tasks done, homeowners will protect their pets from harm and be happier with the result.