Australian houses are increasingly being built to owner specifications that include priorities such as solar power, the latest technology or energy saving appliances. With the launch of a free and non-commercial resource on pet-friendly housing design, pet owners will now be able to specify design elements for their four legged friends.
"Over sixty percent of Australian households enjoy the companionship of a pet and yet, until now, most houses have not been designed or built to allow for simple devices that make life better for pets, their owners and the community in which they live," says the author of Four Legs//Four Walls, town planner Virginia Jackson.
According to Petcare Information and Advisory Service (PIAS), a quarter of all residents now live in medium to high density housing which makes it important to have both domestic and public spaces that support the well-being of pets and their owners, as well as to create opportunities for the broader community to benefit from the presence of pets.
Four Legs//Four Walls is targeted at planners, designers and architects and provides information on incorporating the needs of pets into the early stages of housing development, particularly in areas of higher density.
This new resource can be downloaded at: http://www.4legs4walls.com/
You can also see what communities around Australia are doing by downloading Living Well Together at: http://www.livingwelltogether.com.au/
