Downsizing and taking your pets with you
Finally, all the kids have left home. Well, almost. The dog is at your feet and the cat is by your side as you contemplate selling the family home and downsizing to a more manageable townhouse, or perhaps an apartment with city views. The question is: Will your much-loved four-legged friends adapt happily to a smaller home?
According to the Petcare Information and Advisory Service (PIAS), it is receiving a steadily increasing number of enquiries from ageing babyboomers looking to downsize from the family home and wanting to take their pets with them, as well as from older retirees and single people thinking about acquiring a pet for company but worried whether their home and lifestyle is suitable. With some 260,000 Australians turning 55 every year, and the Australian Bureau of Statistics predicting that our aged population will double by 2031, there are clearly considerable shifts underway in where and how people are retiring and living. Often that has implications for other family members, including pets.
“Pets are a perfect antidote to loneliness, and wonderful companions to have by your side as you undertake changes in lifestyle,” says PIAS consultant Denise Humphries. “Our advice is to include your pet in plans for downsizing well before you make the move. Provided you are realistic about your pet's living environment and prepare in advance, your pet should happily make the move to your smaller home, however very energetic dogs may have difficulty adapting to a restricted space.”
Some tips when you are planning the move:
Review Local Government and Body Corporate regulations. Councils can stipulate how many pets you can keep depending on the size of the property. You may require a license to have a cat – in some states this is required – so check with your Council. Body Corporates may also have restrictions on pet ownership so ensure you do your research first.
Check for local dog-friendly parks or walking routes when you are looking at new residences. The Council will be able to advise on this as well. The perfect home is pet-wise. Make sure your dog can be kept securely on the property with proper fencing and gates. Cats are easily house-trained to use a litter tray but if your dog will be living in an area with little or no outdoor space you will need to consider how you are going to provide toilet opportunities. You may be able to provide a toilet area for a dog on a balcony.
If your dog is house-trained it will usually manage quite well if taken for a walk three or four times per day. Remember to be a responsible owner and to clean up after your dog. If your pet is not already house-trained and you are downsizing, the earlier you start house-training the better.
You've made the move:
Maintain your dog's exercise routine, and increase the length of the daily walk if there is less outdoor space to play in than the previous home.
If there is an outdoor area, keep your dog or cat confined within the building until he or she is at ease with the new living arrangements.
Cats adapt well to indoor living – make sure they have a window they can look out through and provide them with plenty of toys.
Most people who have downsized report that their pets adapted very well to their new living conditions, and one of the reasons the human kids keep coming home is to visit the family pet – so be warned.
Contacts
PIASPhone: (03) 9827 5344
Issued on behalf of PIAS, the Petcare Information and Advisory Service