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How Does a Pet-Friendly Sober Living Work?
A pet-friendly sober living home works just about the same as any other supportive residence does, with the exception that one of the people who lives in the home has an animal with them.
The individual with the pet will be fully responsible for their care. This includes ensuring that they have adequate food and exercise, that all their health needs are met, and that the pet is properly restrained at all times. The person who has the pet must also be able to meet all other expectations for living in the house.
For other residents, the primary impact of residing in a pet-friendly sober living should be having the opportunity to enjoy the company of a dog, cat, or another animal from time to time.
Benefits of Pet-Friendly Sober Living
Here are a few examples of the many potential benefits of a pet-friendly sober living:
- Pets can be valuable sources of companionship and emotional support.
- Some pets (such as dogs) need to be walked on a regular basis. They may also require other forms of physical exercise. These activities can be beneficial for the owner as well as their animal.
- To properly care for an animal, a person must be both responsible and accountable. These characteristics are also essential for those who are working toward addiction recovery.
- Animals can be affected by their owners’ emotions and behaviors. Having a pet provides residents with the opportunity to consider the impact of their actions and view themselves from a different perspective. These are also excellent recovery skills.
- Pets can be the starting point for conversations with other residents. This can help a resident establish healthy connections with other members of the recovery community.
Ideally, every resident will have positive experiences with both the animal and their owner. But if minor conflicts do occur, these can be ideal opportunities for all parties to practice effective communication and use their problem-solving skills to arrive at an acceptable resolution.
Having the ability to resolve conflicts in a healthy and productive manner can serve people well during their residence in a pet-friendly sober living home and throughout the entirety of their recovery experience.
Pet Rules
Residents who wish to have a pet with them during their stay in one of our sober living residences must agree to follow several rules. We have established these rules to ensure that our residences remain safe and welcoming places for all clients, including those who do and do not have pets. We also want to make sure that all animals are treated humanely throughout their time at the house.
Before we approve an animal at one of our pet-friendly sober living homes, the resident must meet the following requirements:
- Provide accurate and up-to-date vaccination records for their pet.
- Schedule and pay for a pet temperament test.
- Provide proof that their pet has been spayed or neutered.
- Demonstrate that their pet is taking appropriate medication to prevent fleas, ticks, and heartworm.
Residents who wish to have a pet with them will usually need to be in a house where no animals are currently living. In most cases, we only permit one pet per house.
Once their pet has been approved to be in the house, the resident must adhere to rules such as the following:
- When not under the direct supervision of their owners, all pets must be crated.
- No pet may remain crated and unattended for longer than seven hours at a time.
- Pets must be leashed 100% of the time they are outside. This policy applies to all houses, including those that have fenced-in yards.
- If the resident will not be spending the night in the house, they must take their pet with them.
- Residents who have pets are not permitted to ask other residents to walk, feed, “pet-sit,” or otherwise care for their pets.
- Residents who have pets are financially responsible for any damage their pet causes.
Please note that this is not a full list of all policies and procedures that pet owners must agree to at our pet-friendly sober living houses. For a detailed list, please contact us directly.
Pet Allergies
At Creekside Recovery Residences, we understand that allergies can make it difficult for some people to share space with certain types of animals. We of course take allergies, other health concerns, and personal preferences into account when placing our residents.
If one or more residents who are currently living in a house cannot tolerate the presence of an animal, we will not place a pet owner there. Similarly, if a new client has a pet allergy or cannot live with animals for another reason, we will be sure to place them in a pet-free home.
Are Certain Pets Disallowed?
Most residents who wish to bring a companion animal to one of our pet-friendly sober living residences have dogs or cats. Although these are the most common types of pets, they are not the only ones that may be allowed to reside in one of our homes.
We make all pet-related decisions on a case-by-case basis. For dogs and cats, this includes evaluating their temperament and ensuring that the resident is prepared to meet all their pet care obligations. For other animals, we will also consider factors such as their appropriateness for a residential environment and the likelihood that their presence will not have a negative impact on other residents or staff members.
Our team will be happy to answer any questions you have about bringing a dog, cat, or another domesticated animal with you to one of our pet-friendly sober living residences.