Making room for pets in high and medium density housing - the role of urban planning

Virginia Jackson

Abstract

Designing homes with pets in mind is an issue for us to consider seriously as the new millennium approaches. Good design can help reduce the incidence and/or impact of unwanted pet behaviours, making it a useful addition to the repertoire of animal management tools. It will also become more important in the future with the move to high and medium density housing being experienced in cities and towns across Australia.

The design considerations appropriate to keeping dogs and cats were first considered in the 1993 report entitled Pets in Urban Areas. This document has been revised and updated and is contained in my recent publication Companion Animals in the City. This paper outlines the main features of design guidelines and why we now need to plan for pets.

About the author

Virginia Jackson

Harlock Jackson Pty Ltd

Urban Policy Analysts and Town Planners

288 Brunswick Street

Fitzroy Vic 3065

Australia

Phone 03 9411 4011

Fax 03 9411 4012

Mobile 0418 141598

Email: v_jackson@fc.ausom.net.au

Virginia is an urban policy analyst and town planner with specialist expertise in domestic animals management. Virginia advises government, industry and community groups on legislation and policy and is the only town planner in the world to have looked at the future of domestic pets on cities in a detailed and comprehensive way. Her most recent publicatio, released in June 1998, is called Companion Animals in the City: Defining a New Agenda for Local Government. It is a compilation of all her work in this area to date.

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