Buying a house is one of the most stressful things you can do in life. In fact, it’s right up there with major life events like divorce. You can never be sure if you chose the right house, you will likely be confused about the buying process, there is a tonne of paperwork to do and even more to organise to ensure everything goes smoothly.
Amid the chaos, it’s easy to forget one of the most important things: your pets! They are going to live in the new house too, and it’s important that they fit right in to make the transition smoother for everyone.
What to look for when buying a pet-friendly property
A general tip when looking for a home is to make a list of your must-haves and your nice-to-haves. Don’t look for the perfect home, look for your must-haves. The moment you start looking at homes, it’s easy to get confused, as you might see some features that you didn’t even know existed! It’s good to go in prepared. Your pets also have a list of must-haves. Have a look at the below tips and keep them in mind when shopping for a new home.
- The area Will you be close to everything your dog needs? How far will you have to drive if you have to rush to the vet in an emergency? If you like to take your dog to the park, daycare, groomers and the like, ensure that you have all you need in the area you are moving to.
- Fencing Theft and poisoning of dogs are becoming increasingly common problems. A good idea is to look for a fence that separates the backyard from the front and to let the back be the dogs’ garden space if they want to spend time outside. This also makes it harder for someone walking past your home to access the dogs.
Another aspect of fencing is to walk the perimeter of the property before you buy. Make sure there are no places where your dogs can escape. If there are, make sure they are fixed before you move in. After moving in, walk your perimeter every now and then to double-check. Your dog might find escape routes you never would have thought of, as you are not yet completely familiar with the property. Rather be a little paranoid than have your dog escape in a strange area.
- Flooring Slippery floors are not only very uncomfortable for dogs to walk on, but they also can cause a lot of damage and even injuries. On the other hand, if your doggy’s housetraining didn’t really stick, carpets will soon become a nightmare to keep clean and odour-free. This is an issue you will need to think through properly. Will you go for floors with loose carpets to help your pets move around safely? Should you invest in a behaviourist to help with housetraining?
- Stairs Most of us don’t really think twice about climbing a set of stairs, but for a dog, especially one of the little guys, it can be like climbing a mountain! It does put pressure on their joints, and dogs who are getting older often suffer from conditions like arthritis and will start avoiding stairs completely.
- Space If you have large dogs, make sure you have enough space for them. It might sound silly, but if, for example, your dogs are always with you in the kitchen (because that’s where the food is!), you don’t want to constantly be tripping over them.
Keep moving as stress-free as possible
In the time leading up to your move, you will have a million things to think about, and your pets should be one of them. Moving house can be very scary for some dogs. One of my own dogs is rather anxious, and I called in the assistance of a behaviourist to help us through the process. My girl adjusted beautifully – getting help is worth it. Prevention is always better than cure, so do what you can to make moving as easy as possible.
What about sectional title?
When buying a home in a complex, you need to look for one that is pet friendly. It’s not enough that the property listing or the agent says that it’s pet friendly – insist on a copy of the complex rules. Many complexes are pet friendly provided you obtain permission to bring your pets. If you neglect to do this, the trustees are within their rights to ask you to remove your pet, and this happens way too often.
Get written permission to bring your pet before you even sign that offer to purchase. When signing the contract, you can request that the agent add a clause stating that your offer is subject to obtaining permission for your pets. This means that you can’t be forced to go through with the purchase should the trustees refuse permission.
If you are renting, you will be dealing with the owner of the property rather than the trustees. Ask your landlord about obtaining permission for your pets.
By Noleen Fourie
