John R. Wood Properties
Barry Dunleavy, John R. Wood PropertiesPhone: (239) 877-6445
Email: [email protected]

Pets at Home: How to Make Your Pet Safe

by Barry Dunleavy 12/17/2023

Pets can fill your home with joy and provide you with unconditional love and companionship. However, they can also end up getting into trouble or being mischievous at times, which is why it's important to make your home as safe as possible. You can turn your home into a more pet-friendly place with the following tips.

Keep Hazardous Items Out of Reach

Cleaning products, medications and other items can be dangerous for pets to ingest. Go through your home, and make sure these items are stored in a place your pets can't reach. You can even put childproof latches on cabinet doors to prevent curious dogs or cats from being able to open them.

Cover or Hide Cords and Wires

Some pets might play with or chew cords and wires they find lying around your home, which can lead to electric shocks and burns. Place cords and wires out of sight and out of reach to prevent this from happening.

Secure Your Trash Cans

Pets shouldn't be able to knock over or get into your trash cans. Doing so can cause a mess, but it also makes it easy for your pets to eat something that could harm them. Make sure your kitchen trash can has a secure lid, or store your can in a closed cabinet.

Store All Food

Don't leave food out on counters or on the table when you have pets. Some pets can jump onto these surfaces to reach food, while others are tall enough to easily grab food items left out. Store all food in your pantry, fridge or cabinets, so your pets can't get any. This helps prevent your pets from consuming foods that could make them sick, such as chocolate and grapes, which can harm dogs.

Choose Houseplants Carefully

Some houseplants are toxic to dogs, cats or both, so choose these wisely. Research any houseplants you want to bring home first to make sure they're safe for your pets. When you do have houseplants around, put them in places your pets can't easily reach. Keep in mind you can decorate with silk

About the Author
Author

Barry Dunleavy

Over 25 Years in the Real Estate Industry. Former Senior Managing Director with responsibility for oversight of real estate businesses in Canada and Latin America including CEO of Canadian-based bank; prior to that Sr. Managing Director Construction Financing to large residential builders throughout the USA. He has a BA and MBA in Finance. Memberships include the Naples Board of Realtors, Graduate Realtors Institute, Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, Florida Realtors, and the National Association of Realtors. Community activities include New Horizons of Southwest Florida volunteer teaching math and reading to at-risk 3rd to 5th graders while being Chair of their 2016-2018 Golf Event and also involved with the Christian Businessmen's Connection. 2014 Awarded the Distinguished Volunteer for Collier County. He was a former Board of Governors of Hazeltine National Golf Club, host of the upcoming 2016 Ryder Cup Championship.