High-rise apartment living creates specific welfare challenges for companion animals related to exercise, outdoor access, falls, and environmental complexity.
High-rise companion animal welfare requires deliberate management: dogs in apartments need adequate outdoor exercise that requires owner commitment regardless of weather; cats need vertical space, hiding places, and window access to maintain psychological wellbeing; falls from unscreened balconies and windows cause preventable severe injuries. Urban noise and limited territory also create chronic stress in animals adapted for more expansive environments. Screen installation and environmental enrichment are the two most important welfare interventions for apartment animals.