Pets living the high life

Pets and apartments. Some believe they should be kept separate at all times, but for many residents in Southbank, having a dog, cat or fish living the apartment lifestyle is a must.

Kristie Russell and her two energetic dogs Bob and Jazzy are an example of how pets can successfully live in high-rise apartments. They happily reside at Freshwater Place.

Previously Kristie had owned a cat in a ground floor apartment, but moving up to level 51 with dogs was a completely different experience.

She is honest when admitting having two dogs in an apartment setting, who were puppies at the same time, has been extremely difficult.

“My number one tip is don’t get two puppies at the same time – especially two different breeds,” Kristie says laughing, although she added that the hard work had been worth it now.

She also suggests getting dogs into day care. Kristie believes this is the best way for them to learn to socialise. “It’s also very convenient when we travel with work,”
she added.

It is also important for dogs to take on some form of etiquette training, because the dogs need to know how to act around others in common areas and obviously their barking needs to be controlled.“They only bark when they see a dog on the TV,” Kristie said, although she added: “I think the window cleaners are our dog’s version of the postman.”

The Investors Club, which manages many apartment complexes all over Australia has released its tips on owning pets in apartments too, stressing that many people were not properly aware of their rights when it came to pet ownership.

Its five tips include knowing the local council’s restrictions and seeking permission from owners’ corporations.

Let us know your tips for owning pets in apartments on our website, by commenting on this story at www.southbanklocalnews.com.au