From Mrs Wong:
http://theage.domain.com.au/real-estate-news/for-all-dwellers-great-and-small-20110819-1j0ox.html
As backyards shrink and people work more hours, pets' needs are being factored into housing design. Some architects would think they were barking. But when Madge Alexandra's clients asked her to consider the needs of their dog and two cats when designing their new Northcote house, she was pleased. ''Most people want a cat or dog flap in an outside door. But otherwise, it's not common to be asked to consider pets,'' she says. Australians have one of the world's highest rates of pet ownership - in 2006, 63 per cent of households owned a pet and the Australian Companion Animal Council says there were about 37 million pets here in 2007.
But block sizes on new subdivisions are decreasing, providing less doggy play space, we work longer hours so our pets are alone at home more, medium-density housing is increasing and households are getting smaller - more than 25 per cent of Australian homes house just one person, meaning less company for pets. So Alexandra is not alone in considering pets' needs in the design of her houses. ''We are not talking about planning for pets; we are talking about planning for people with pets,'' says urban planner Virginia Jackson, of Harlock Jackson, an international authority on the role and place of pets in urban areas.
''We need to understand how we can better accommodate pet owners within the community,'' she says, citing the well-documented health and social benefits of pet ownership. The trend to ''urban consolidation'' - that is, living in smaller spaces - led to the development of housing-design guidelines with pets in mind. Recently updated, they have been published by Harlock Jackson and the Petcare Information & Advisory Service as a charmingly illustrated book, Four Legs, Four Walls Design Guidelines: A Comprehensive Guide to Housing Design with Pets in Mind, and Ms Jackson presented them to the National Planning Institute conference in Hobart this year. ''Planning often stops at the front door,'' she says, adding that putting the guidelines into practice and getting architects on side is a challenge. ''I am reasonably confident that this will change; what is recommended is not earth-shattering, it is things like window sills". "Five to six years ago, we were probably banging our heads against a brick wall even with the planners but now we are being embraced.'' Pet-friendly design features that Alexandra added to the Northcote house included pet access to the laundry, which could be sealed off, and double fences and gates so the dog could play in the courtyard but could not escape if a caller opened the front gate. ''The clients put to me what their concerns were so we introduced extra fencing between the courtyard and driveway and a fence up either side of the pathway to the front door,'' Alexandra says. ''They also wanted easy surfaces for cleaning muddy footprints so we tiled all the downstairs.'' As well, a cat platform was built into the laundry. ''The cats have a bench for their food so … they can eat at their leisure.'' While these design modifications may seem minor, Alexandra says making life healthier and more comfortable for pets, their owners and neighbours need not be complicated or expensive. Inclusions can range from window sills on which cats can sun themselves and view the world to a low glass front-door panel so a dog can see out. Wire balustrades up a staircase in a Fitzroy house she designed provide a high space for the resident cat to sit and means he can see the front and back of the house. And the owner of an Airedale who did not want to give it cold baths had hot and cold taps installed outside the laundry of her new house. ''The dog had its own little washing area outside the laundry,'' Alexandra says. When she meets clients at home, learning about their lifestyle also means finding out about their pets. ''People are out at work, they know that if they have dogs, they have to try to make an environment that keeps them happy,'' she says. Ms Jackson is working with volume builders to encourage them to take pet needs into account, particularly on new subdivisions with small blocks and large houses built to the boundary. In these outer suburbs, many pet owners are gone for long hours and council curfews are in place, so pets are kept inside more. Some subdivisions have no off-leash areas for dogs, which develops a breeding ground for neighbourhood disputes, she says. ''Because the space is so much smaller and the house is so much bigger, we do need to be looking as much at the indoor environment as the outdoor environment and using that space skilfully for pets.'' The pet-oriented housing design guidelines are aimed not only at new houses; they can also be used to adapt an existing house or to guide pet owners who want to buy a place that suits the needs of the furry members of the family. The guidelines range from advice about fence design and car parking - including ventilation and natural light in garages if pets are to be confined there - to creating indoor climbing opportunities for cats, quiet spaces, warm spots and safety. Taking account of pets' needs in housing design is an international trend, with Japan leading the way. A quick internet search reveals design suggestions ranging from the sensible (an outdoor shower for washing dogs) to the unusual (a ''kitty washroom cabinet'' - a vanity unit designed to conceal a kitty litter but with an opening for kitty access) to the utterly bizarre (cat walkways with kitty stairs and ramps around every room). The guidelines advocated by Ms Jackson and architects such as Alexandra are more down-to-earth but can do much to improve life for pets and owners and reduce the annoyance of neighbours. ''People are very close to their animals and while some people might think we are being trite - for goodness sake, these people are replacing human relationships with their pet - it is hard these days to own a pet, so it is important to give the pet a safe and comfortable place,'' Ms Jackson says. Four Legs, Four Walls Design Guidelines: A Comprehensive Guide to Housing Design with Pets in Mind can be downloaded free at petnet.com.au.
Friendly tips for furry mates
Maximise the space available for pets, if possible including access to outdoor space. If a cat will be kept inside most of the day, design a space with climbing opportunities and the chance to watch what's going on - for example, partition walls and windows sills. Double glazing or thickened glass helps reduce the impact of noisy dogs. Avoid spiral and open-tread staircases - many dogs fear using these. Hard flooring is easy to clean, does not hold smells and is cool, but it may be slippery, especially for older pets. Design should protect a pet from injury; for example, reduce the risk of falls from balconies and roof decks with a clear balustrade, a balustrade wide enough for a cat to sit on safely, a viewing platform beside it, a balcony with a roof just below or a balcony enclosed with glass, grilles or netting. Provide adequate shelter and ventilation - a secure indoor courtyard, shade trees, access to garage or carport, a cool veranda, for example. When landscaping, include trees for cats to climb and scratch but avoid those that move and rustle in the wind or attract possums as these commonly trigger barking. Source: Four Legs, Four Walls Design Guidelines, Harlock Jackson and Petcare Information & Advisory Service
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