How should I treat a flea infestation?

If there is a flea infestation in your property, it will need to be cleaned thoroughly. Shampooing and vacuuming the carpets, curtains and sofas should solve the problem. Sprays are also available to treat the home for fleas. If it is a serious flea infestation, you should consult a pest control company.

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How can I prevent odours caused by pets?

Regularly cleaning pet cages will help to keep your property clean and odour-free. Dogs should never be allowed to foul inside the property and cats and indoor rabbits must use a litter tray that is regularly emptied. All cats, dogs and indoor rabbits should be house trained.

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How can I minimise the risk of pet allergies?

Pet allergies can be minimised by regularly cleaning, vacuuming and airing the property. Most pet allergies are mild and can be controlled with antihistamine medication.

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How can I prevent damage to property and furnishings?

Most damage caused by pets to property and furnishings can be easily avoided. Small animals such as hamsters, gerbils, birds and rabbits should always be supervised while outside of their cages to prevent damage.

Many cats scratch and claw as part of their natural behaviour so they should be provided with a scratching post and toys to distract them.

Puppies that are teething have a tendency to chew so they should be provided with their own safe chew toys and must be closely supervised. If an adult dog is destructive, this will need to be investigated and possibly referred to a veterinary surgeon or behaviourist. Destructive behaviour is often cause by anxiety, particularly when a dog is left alone for long periods of time. No dog should be left alone for more than 4 hours at a time on a regular basis.

If a pet does cause damage to property or furnishings, the cost of repairs or replacing items should be taken out of the tenant's deposit. You may wish to take a higher deposit from tenants with pets.

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How can I prevent damage to the garden?

Tenants should always clean up their pet's faeces immediately and dispose of it safely and hygienically. Lawns and plants can be damaged by dog urine so tenants should only let their dogs urinate in areas of the garden where they can do no damage to grass or plants. Digging is a natural behaviour for many dogs so tenants should ensure that their pets do not dig up the lawn or flowerbeds.

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Does contents insurance cover damage caused by pets?

Insurance policies do not cover any damage caused by pets to property or furnishings. Higher deposits could be considered for pet owners to cover any possible damage that may be caused.

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What is the law on dangerous dogs?

Under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 it's illegal for anyone to own or keep a Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino or Fila Brasilero, unless the dog is registered on the Index of Exempted Dogs. It's also an offence to allow any dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place. This includes instances where there is a fear that an injury may occur.

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What is the law on assistance dogs?

Assistance dogs, such as guide dogs for the blind, hearing dogs for the deaf and dogs for the disabled, must be permitted by law in any property. The Disability Discrimination Act (2005) prohibits anyone who is renting or selling a property from discriminating against a disabled person. This includes discriminating against a person with an assistance dog.

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What should I do about neglected or abandoned pets in my property?

If you are concerned about the welfare of an animal kept in your property or you think that a previous tenant may have abandoned their pet, you should contact an animal welfare charity immediately.

In England & Wales you can report abandonment and neglect to the RSPCA, in Scotland to the SSPCA, in Ireland to the ISPCA and in Northern Ireland to the USPCA. Contact details for all of these organisations can be found in our Pet Care section.

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How can I stop my dog barking?

Dogs bark for many different reasons, including excitement, fear, boredom, frustration, because they are guarding the home or because they cannot cope with being left alone. Dogs Trust has produced a factsheet on how to deal with barking and it can be downloaded from our website at www.dogstrust.org.uk. If you are unable to solve the problem on your own, contact a veterinary surgeon, dog behaviourist or animal welfare charity for advice.

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How can I prevent pets from fouling indoors?

Most dogs are toilet trained as puppies so fouling inside the property should not be a problem.

Cats should be provided with a litter tray indoors to discourage them from fouling in neighbours' gardens.

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How can I prevent fleas and worms?

Pets that receive regular preventative treatment rarely get fleas so you should speak to your vet about the flea treatments available for dogs, cats and rabbits. Dogs and cats also need to be regularly wormed as part of their healthcare routine.

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What vaccinations are available for my pets?

Annual vaccinations are available for dogs, cats and rabbits to prevent a variety of diseases.

Dogs can be vaccinated against canine distemper, infectious hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, parainfluenza and kennel cough.

Cats can be vaccinated against feline infectious enteritis (FIE), cat flu, feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline chlamydophilosis.

Rabbits can be vaccinated against myxomatosis and viral hemorrhagic disease (VHD).

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