How to Keep Your Pet at Ease During a Home Renovation
Follow these tips to keep your pet safe and comfortable while your home’s a construction zone.
Shutterstock/Stokkete
The last thing anyone wants — pet owners or contractors alike — are animals on-site that are unsafe, unhappy or feeling threatened during a renovation or remodel in their home. Take your pet’s individual temperament into account, and gauge how best to adapt their day to minimize the impact of construction on their well-being. Here are some ideas to help with planning:
Introduce Your Pet to Workers
If your pet is friendly, let them meet and sniff the contractors who will be entering and exiting the home. Allowing them to familiarize with scents and voices may make them more at ease during the overall experience, even if those voices are out of sight for the better part of each day.
Jeff Jones
Crate Your Pet
Eliminate the risk of a pet escaping out of a propped door by keeping the animal safely crated, or in a comfortable, locked space of its own during the workday. A little inconvenience for the pet far outweighs the dangers of allowing a pet to be underfoot or unleashed in a construction zone.
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Get Outdoors
Get your pet out and about more often to escape the noises associated with construction. Take longer walks through the neighborhood or drives in the car. Frequent local parks, fenced backyards or homes belonging to friends. Dedicate lunch breaks to your pet to give them a midday opportunity to stretch their legs, get some exercise and hear a familiar voice.
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Photo by: Emily Fazio
Emily Fazio
Hire a Caretaker
Consider hiring a local pet sitter — such as a professional dog walker or a teen looking for an after-school gig — if your work schedule isn’t flexible enough to accommodate easy check-ins during the workday.
Shutterstock / Monkey Business Images
Opt for Daycare
Getting your pet out of the home entirely is another popular option for some homeowners. Completely eliminating the risk for distress during construction hours is a favorable option for pets with certain temperaments, and you’ll rest easier during the workday knowing that your pet is cared for, comfortable and getting plenty of attention.
PetSafe
Rotate in New Toys and Treats
If you’re at home with your pet during a construction day, keep a stash of new, exciting toys and treats at your disposal. They’ll help distract and entertain pets that are bothered by the construction process.
Debbie Wolfe
