Phoenix Veterinarians
Inside and Outside Pets
If you are about to get a new cat or dog, you will have to decide whether to put them outside or allow the pet to live indoors with you. Whatever you decide, you should keep commit to your decision for the life of the pet.
If you are about to adopt a large pet and you have a small home, you should strongly consider leaving the pet outdoors. If this isn't possible, then you really should adopt a small pet instead. Pets need to move around as much (if not more) as much as people do, so they need plenty of room. If you have a small home, your large pet is not likely to have enough room to move around. You will also probably feel cramped as you share the small space with the large animal.
Outdoor pets need to be provided sufficient shelter during storms, and they need to be safe and secured. Pets can get very afraid during storms. Dogs and cats are especially known to be afraid during thunderstorms. If you have an outdoor pet and a thunderstorm is approaching, you should consider allowing your pet to come inside your home for at least the duration of the storm.
You will want to be sure that your pet is kept safe if you leave it outside. This means, for example, that you wouldn't put your new cat in the backyard with an angry dog.
Unsecured pets are at a much higher risk for being injured or killed by other animals, as well as for running away. Pets that have lived indoors and have been subsequently placed outdoors without being confined are very likely to run away because they may feel that you are done with them and kicking them out, rather than simply sending them to live in the yard.
Get help deciding where your new pet should live from our Phoenix veterinarians. We've been helping pet owners and future pet owners make these types of decisions for years, and we'd love to help you as well. Give us a call! We're here for all Phoenix pets and pet owners.