News
Is your home and perimeter safe for your pets?
February 28, 2009, 9:56AM MT
By Stacy Rogers
Check your home and your behavior patterns to ensure a better environment for animals
Check your home and your behavior patterns to ensure a better environment for animals
It is always said to lead by example, and I am a firm believer in that. It is also a good practice to be proactive, and not reactive. I am writing this story today because I have failed at both, and if it makes a difference with one reader to do the right thing, then I have succeeded. Please read this story. It may make a huge difference in an animal’s life someday.
My basement has an egress window. An egress window is a large window with a pit on the outside of the house, mandated by building code in my town. The intent is if there is a fire, or someone needs to escape the premises and is in the basement, they can go out the window into the pit, and push the top cover off, hoist themselves up, and escape. A good idea in practice.
It was last week when I was in the basement, just straightening up. I noticed that my 3 cats were all hanging around the egress window. I hadn’t seen them in about 8 hours or more, so I was concerned as to why. They usually habitate upstairs. Outside the window, in the pit area, was a cat. This cat apparently fell through the wood and lattice that covers the pit, which had weakened with climate changes over 5 years. It pains me to say that the cat did not survive. It could not escape, and likely froze to death.
This is no one’s fault but mine, and I have been having a very difficult time forgiving myself for my complacency and negligence. I knew that I should have reinforced this cover long ago, but neglected to. Being an animal lover, and a strong advocate of responsible pet care, I am terribly ashamed of myself and what I have caused. Had I taken the consideration and time to do this simple task, this cat would still be leading a happy life. In a reactive fashion, I have had a more durable metal cover and screen fabricated so this does not occur again with an animal, or a person, like a small child. This does not change the past, though.
In light of my negligence, I thought that the least I can do to help prevent this from happening to another animal is to get the word out to all concerned individuals to be mindful of their home and perimeter for the sake of theirs and other’s animals. If it saves one life, then it has made a difference.
Take the time now to examine your home and property. Look for such things that can cause harm to an animal such as electrical wires, poisons, human and veterinary medications, cleaning agents, choking hazards, entanglement hazards, poisonous plants, stray or wild animals, drowning hazards, sharp objects, open toilet seats (yes, a pet CAN drown in a toilet) hot surfaces, locations where a pet could fall, items that could fall on a pet, and dangerous objects that a pet could chew or swallow.
Get down to the ground and look at things from their level. You will see what a difference it makes when looking at things from their perspective.
As far as our behavior, examine what your pet eats. Ensure you are feeding them the proper nutrition they need, and not in excess. As a lot of us know, things like dark chocolate can be poisonous to a dog. Does everyone in your home, especially the children, know that?
There are many other things we all can do to make our homes and property a better place for animals. We invite you to take a moment to post a comment about some things you know can make a home and property safer. Refer to this often, and you may learn something new from someone else. We can all make a difference. I made a terrible and careless mistake, and an innocent animal paid a price. A famous quote says that “the only real mistake we make is the one from which we learn nothing.”
To everyone who loves animals, please accept my apologies for my carelessness. Our animals deserve better.
What Can You Do? Visit the links below to get information on how you can make your home and environment safer for animals.
http://www.move.com/home-garden/home-maintenance/home-safety-security/indoor-pet-safety-checklist.aspx
http://www.oopet.com/en/2008/0521/article_48.html
http://www.americanhumane.org/protecting-animals/adoption-pet-care/safety/
http://www.hsus.org/pets/pets_related_news_and_events/pet_safety_090508.html
Story written by Chris Ross, Best Friends Network Volunteer
Picture courtesy of Best Friends Snapfish account