Two tips for cat or dog owners who want to build pools on their properties
If you have a pet dog or cat and you have hired a pool contractor to construct a pool on your property, here are two tips that you might find helpful.
Ask your contractor to install solid, tall fencing around the pool
If you choose the wrong type of pool fencing, you could end up inadvertently endangering your pet or allowing your pool water to become contaminated.
If, for example, your contractor installs a fence with slats or bars, your pet could potentially squeeze through the openings in the fence (if they are quite small). Likewise, if the fence is quite short, your pet could jump or climb over it.
In either case, your cat or dog may be able to gain access to the pool when you are not around. This could lead to two issues; firstly, it could result in them drinking some of the chlorinated water. This could potentially cause gastrointestinal problems and leave them feeling extremely ill.
Secondly, if they jump into the pool, they could end up contaminating it with their urine or the dirt on their fur. Whilst this will not necessarily make the water dangerous to swim in (as the chlorine in the pool water will kill off any bacteria), it could create a very unpleasant swimming environment.
As such, it is vital to ensure that the pool fencing your contractor installs is solid (such as a solid sheet of glass or perspex, for example) and that it is tall enough to prevent your pet from climbing or jumping over it.
Create a safe exit route for your pet
If you don't intend to let your pet swim in the pool, you might be thinking about just having a pool ladder attached to one side of the structure, as this will enable you and your family members to easily climb in and out of the water.
However, even if you don't plan to allow your dog or cat into the pool, it is still important to have your contractor design the structure in such a way that there is a safe and easy way for your pet to get out of the water.
Even if you take the precaution of building a tall, solid fence, there is a still a chance that your dog or cat could fall or jump into the pool when you're not at home.
If this should happen, and the only way to exit the pool is via the pool ladder, they may not be able to escape (as they would not be able to retain a grip on and climb up a slippery ladder). If this leads to them being trapped in the water, there could be tragic consequences.
Given this, you should ask your contractor to either create a 'zero entry' pool (this is where the pool floor is sloped and the gradient leads from the deepest section of the pool to the shallowest part) or to build underwater steps that will enable your pet to safely get out of the water if they need to.
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