High Rise danger for pets

[Catherine]

They call it High Rise Syndrome. Pets love to get outside and a balcony can seem like a safe place. However many pets are hurt and often die from falling off of High Rise balconies. Pets are not aware of how high up they are and they often forget what they are doing when they are playing.

http://www.am980.ca/2015/06/05/46766/

Please all of you pet owners who live in High Rises, take precautions and watch your pets. I have known people to put in a pet proof wire mesh so that their cat could enjoy the balcony fully and safely.

Whatever you do, don't let your pet be part of the rising statistics again this year.

[LeonilCraig]

Well, High-Rise Syndrome is 100-Percent Preventable. To fully protect your pets, you’ll need to install snug and sturdy screens in all your windows.

[Catherine]

Sadly people's children fall as well. You are right. Good screens would be enough to make things safe.

[LPC]

As cats can climb, the screens would need to be sturdy (as Leonil says), so that there is no risk of collapse when climbed on. The safest way is never to leave a pet unsupervised on a balcony.

[Tobi]

The safest thing would be to construct a wire-netting or preferably chain-link 'cage' over the whole balcony, and forming a roof also with the netting. Not impossible to do! But as Leonil says it would have to be well constructed and sturdy. Especially if there is a dog or child involved, in case they jump against the netting. And it would have to be fixed against a steel framework, bolted to the stonework of the balcony with masonry bolts. Climbing plants would soften the effect, and make it look less like a prison balcony. Grapes could even be grown there!

[LPC]

(06-07-2015, 10:08 PM)Tobi Wrote: Climbing plants would soften the effect, and make it look less like a prison balcony.

Tobi, you made me laugh!!

[Tobi]

HAHA LPC!
You should be so lucky if you're in prison and you get a balcony! LOL!

[Catherine]

High rise balconies always have a balcony above them so screens or wire mesh just have to run from balcony edge to the "ceiling". They are always concrete so they are secure. There are lots of ways to make it safe. However high rise balconies tend to be prisonlike so I am not sure even grapes would help. High rises are like living in a concrete box.

I have part of a very old house with a front and back garden. It is not very elegant, but I prefer it to the concrete boxes that are known as high rises.