Renovations for Veterans with Service Animals

Veterans, do you rely on a service dog or other animal to support you with your day-to-day activities around the house?

There are all sorts of measures you can take to make your living space even more comfortable—for both you and your animal. Let's explore the range of home renovation projects possible for those who depend on service animals.

Adjusting stair height

If your home has more than one level, then your furry friends have got to be able to clear those steps in order to properly assist you. Remember, your home has to be accessible for you and your pet. 

Our recommendation? For medium-sized dogs, heights of six-and-a-half inches or less are ideal. For larger breeds, heights of seven inches or less are preferred.

Adjusting the height on your stairs may not fall under the category of a "quick fix," but it will dramatically improve your animal's ability to move around, which—as a result—might just improve your mobility in the process.

Making built-in food bowl stations

When it comes to dining, animals (even the most well-trained) aren't the neatest of creatures. Piles of kibble bits and puddles of water, invariably, end up spread all around your kitchen or living area.

But asking a carpenter to install built-in food and water bowls in the base of, say, a kitchen island, or some other strategic spot, could dramatically simplify the need for cleanup of spillage and big food messes, which will mean less hassle for you moving forward.

Installing laminate flooring

Laminate flooring sure beats bare hardwood when you've got critter claws scraping over it day and night.

Consider installing this type of flooring in areas with heavy foot (and paw) traffic in your house, such as kitchens or foyers. While this might not make day-to-day life simpler in the immediate future, it'll save you the hassle of having to replace distressed flooring should you decide to sell your house in the future.

Plus, there are all kinds of slip-resistant flooring options out there, so your flooring choice could potentially minimize your risk of a fall.

Feeling inspired? Ready to get your renovation started?

Put these ideas into practice to create a more comfortable living space for both you and your service animal.