New Zealanders love their animals, but not many people would think about how owning a pet can affect the plumbing!

Well, it can! Here are a few tips to make your life easier and avoid a doggy disaster or cat-astrophe.

1. Use drain stoppers or strainers when bathing

If you bath your dog (or cat if they like it!) and use your inside bath or sink to do it, use a strainer to stop fur going down the drain. This will help stop your drains from clogging. The oil from their hair can combine with soap scum just like human hair, leaving nice clumps to stop your drains running freely.

Alternatively, wash your dog outside if it is warm enough.

2. Toilets are for people

The cleaners you use to clean the toilet make the water unsuitable for drinking! So keep the lid down or the door closed so your dog or cat cannot drink the toilet water.

In case someone forgets to keep the lid down, make sure there is plenty of fresh, clean drinking water available elsewhere for drinking, so they are not tempted to drink out of the toilet.

Kittens are also in danger of falling into toilets. And like kittens, kitty litter does NOT go down the toilet.

3. Keep an eye on doggy digging.

If you have a dog that loves to dig in your back yard, make sure they don't dig up water pipes or sewer lines which can sometimes be buried shallowly enough for them to damage.

4. Antifreeze is poisonous

If you live in colder climes, you may have antifreeze in your home plumbing system - which helps to maintain heat during winter months.  Pets may become exposed to antifreeze if it is not flushed from a home plumbing system.  They may also come into contact directly from containers in the garage if they are not stored out of reach.

Antifreeze is harmful to pets.

6. Watch for open drains

Small puppies and kittens are curious – make sure there are no open drains (like the ones under down pipes) on your property (or outside near the road) that they can fall or wriggle their way into.