3 ways to make your veterinary hospital more pet-friendly
You know your veterinary patients better than anyone does. Have you thought about what they want in your facility?
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The time has come for truly pet-centric veterinary hospitals, says Heather Lewis, AIA, a partner at Animal Arts, a veterinary design firm based in Boulder, Colo. Here are three design choices your patients will thank you for, according to Lewis:
1. Give dogs room to breathe. Dog wards are typically long and thin, Lewis says, which is the perfect recipe for anxiety in pets. Instead, she suggests building or remodeling runs like the one shown above at PetCare Veterinary Hospital in Santa Rosa, Calif., with lots of natural light.
Photo by Tim Murphy, Foto Imagery LTD.
2. Rethink cat condos. Traditional cat enclosures are 30 inches by 30 inches and while Lewis says this area may be easily cleanable, it's simply not a good environment for a cat. She says cat condos should be at least 9.5 square feet total. (See the photo above for cat condos done right at Olde Towne Pet Resort in Dulles, Va.)
“Cats need at least three feet between where they eat and where they poop,” Lewis says.
Photo Courtesy of Olde Towne Pet Resort in Dulles, Va.
3. Listen to the sounds of your clinic. Lewis says to recognize noises that could be alarming to cats, such as the sound of cage latches opening and closing.
“Think about what stresses out the animal and eliminate it,” Lewis says.
Photo courtesy of Julie Robbins
