Pets in the City’ Is an Initiative of the Petcare Information & Advisory Service (PIAS) ISBN: 978-0-9808092-0-6 2010 What Is “Pets in the City”?
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thecity www.petsinthecity.net.au ‘Pets in the City’ is an initiative of the Petcare Information & Advisory Service (PIAS) ISBN: 978-0-9808092-0-6 2010 what is “pets in the city”? Pets in the City has been prepared by the Petcare The idea of high-density living in strata or rental Information and Advisory Service (PIAS) to assist people accommodation with limited, or no, yard space residing in higher density living to enjoy the many benefi ts may not be particularly conducive to owning animal offered by pets. The guide can help you decide whether companions. Yet we know that Australians are you should have a pet, what the most suitable type of pet adaptable and keen to fi nd a way to keep their might be for you and how to enjoy life with your pet. beloved pets in high-density environments. That’s why we’ve produced Pets in the City, a “how to” Australians love their pets. In fact, we have one of the guide covering everything you need to know about highest rates of pet ownership in the world – more than successfully keeping dogs and cats in apartments and half of all Australian households own a dog and/or a cat. inner urban areas. Pet ownership seems to have always been part of the Australian way of life, something so normal we almost take As part of the preparation of this guide, PIAS it for granted. But things are changing. commissioned a research agency to investigate pet ownership in high-density housing. We’ve used the Once, the great Australian dream was owning your own research outcomes to provide information that will home on a quarter-acre block, with a BBQ, a Hills Hoist help both pet owners and those who would like to and a Blue Heeler in the backyard. But these days, that own a pet. Look out for our tips in the red boxes, the quintessential Australian scene is changing. Australians comments from experts in the orange boxes and case are more frequently living in townhouses, apartments and studies in the black boxes. And don’t forget to visit the units, often within big cities. They’re increasingly likely to Pets in the City website (www.petsinthecity.net.au) live in a strata development with a BBQ on the balcony for extra information. and a communal laundry. Whether you already own a companion animal or are According to Australian Census data, 77% of Australian contemplating getting one, this informative and helpful households live in separate houses; 13% live in guide shows you that owning a dog or cat in the city semi-detached, row, terrace or town houses; and 9% live can be easy with the correct selection, care in units or apartments. A total of 22%, or almost a quarter of and management. all Australian households, are accommodated in what could be considered to be medium or high-density housing. what is “pets in the city”? 1 petsin thecity our changing lifestyles 5 choosing the most suitable pet for your household 36 • the most popular dog and cat breeds change with the times the power of pets 6 • cats vs dogs • research proves that pets are good for us • two cats can be better than one living the high life – you can keep pets in the city 8 • the truth about cats and dogs • statistics demonstrate that many people successfully keep pets in the city • tips for successfully keeping dogs and cats together • city-dwelling pet owners report few problems and high satisfaction levels • indoor pets – a hairy consideration • re-homing an older dog or cat vs puppies and kittens downsizing with pets 12 • size can be misleading • what to do if you already have a pet and are moving into smaller premises • dogs and kids • tips to help you prepare your pet for the move • fi sh, birds and other pets • tips to help you modify your pet’s toilet training • selectapet overcoming pet permissibility issues 16 dogs 44 • pets in strata developments • dog breed choices • tips for negotiating pet-friendly by-laws • tips for choosing a dog to suit your lifestyle • pet-friendly developments • 10 dog breeds to consider • overcoming the rental crisis • tips to help you gain approval to keep pets in rental accommodation cats 50 • cat breed choices step out of the past and into the future 28 • tips for choosing a cat to suit your lifestyle • you don’t have to keep pets the same way as when you were a child • 10 cat breeds to consider • you don’t have to have the same breed of dog you had as a child how much is that doggy in the window? 56 • where people get their pets • the best places for you to fi nd a pet • tips to help you fi nd your new pet 2 contentscontents socialisation, training and general care 60 common problems and tips to help you solve them 80 • puppy socialisation • common problems • tips to help you socialise your puppy • coping strategies • crate training • noise and barking • ongoing training • tips to help you resolve problem barking • kitten socialisation and cat training • exercise and outdoor access • socially responsible pet ownership • tips for exercising your dog • bringing home your new pet • tips for exercising your cat • general care • safe outdoor access for cats • boredom and nuisance behaviour home alone 66 • tips to prevent boredom and entertain your pet when you’re not around • how much time do pets really spend alone? • toileting trouble? • what do pets do when they are alone? • tips for kitty litter trouble shooting • tips to help you minimise the time your pet spends alone • tips for toilet training dogs and reduce the impact of being alone • hair shedding • don’t leave me • tips to reduce the impact of shedding • support networks for people who need to leave their pet home alone • where to get help will pets cramp your style? 70 how to have fun with your pet 92 • holidays with and without pets • outdoor activities • pets and your social life • indoor activities • the real cost of keeping dogs and cats • adventure/socialisation the great outdoors…or not 74 • helping people • overcoming the myths and misconceptions resources 94 • features of a pet-friendly domicile • products, services and information sources • tips for creating a pet-friendly space 3 4 Almost a quarter of Australians our changing lifestyles currently live in medium to high-density housing. Between 1991 and 2001 the Australia’s social, cultural, political and technological pet ownership is clearly a signifi cant community interest. environment is changing, infl uencing where we live and Pets in the City will help people understand the benefi ts number of separate houses in the way we live. and responsibilities pet ownership brings, especially for those living in high-density environments. Australia increased by 18% while Australian Bureau of Statistics trends and urban planning guidelines all point to a dramatic increase in the density In preparing this guide, PIAS wanted to fi nd out how the number of higher density of accommodation in Australian cities. This will bring new many people actually do keep pets in the city and challenges for many of us as we learn to live in smaller unearth information on how they managed them, dwellings increased by 37%. spaces and compete to use public services and public discover any diffi culties they might have experienced and open space. ultimately fi nd out how they overcame those diffi culties. During the same period there Along with changes in dwelling densities, there will also Focus groups were interviewed and an extensive on-line be changes to household structure; there are going to survey was completed by over 800 respondents – all were was a 43% increase in the number be more single-person households and our population pet owners or non-pet owners who’d like to own a dog or of lone person households. will have a higher proportion of senior citizens. At the cat, and all were living in medium to high-density housing. same time, lifestyles are becoming more hectic and The research results were fascinating and informative. people are working longer hours. This trend is set to continue, so Most importantly, we learned that keeping pets in the With all these social and practical lifestyle pressures it city is very popular, with pet owners reporting very high in future we can expect to have can be harder for some people to see how they could levels of satisfaction. make pet ownership work. It’s true that not everyone even more people living closer can or should own a dog or cat, but with 85% of together and in smaller groups Australians owning a pet at some time in their lives, or alone. our changing lifestyles 5 the power of pets So what is it about pets that make Australians so keen to own them? Research in the last few decades is proving what we’ve always known anecdotally – pets aren’t just good, they’re actually good for us. We now know that pets can help improve our quality of life; they can reduce stress, improve health and provide much-needed companionship. Pets also encourage people to enjoy the outdoors, stimulate conversations between strangers and improve our feelings of safety. In fact, pets appear to be the solution to reducing some of the stresses of modern living. For the vast majority of owners, the major benefi t they attribute to their pet is quite simply “companionship” but there are many other positive side effects to this simple reward.