A shield for protecting furniture against damage that a pet can cause, includes a body and a lock. The body is expandable from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration by moving in a first direction a first end relative to a second end. When the body is in the expanded configuration and positioned adjacent furniture, the body can cover a region of the furniture. The lock includes a first portion and a second portion, and is operable to maintain the body in the expanded configuration when the first and second portions engage each other. With the shield's body in the collapsed configuration, one can easily transport the shield to any location. With the shield's body in the expanded configuration, one can cover a region of furniture with the body and thus discourage a pet from sitting or lying on top of the shield. With the body in the expanded configuration, the shield may also be used as a barrier to protect a leg or other vertical portion of a piece of furniture.
