For millions of pet owners, leaving the house means trusting that your furry friends will be safe until you return home. Most of the time, they are totally fine, however, pets are vulnerable to household emergencies in ways that humans aren’t. Your pet can’t call 911 or understand why an alarm has been set off.

Thankfully, the same monitored security and alarm systems that you already have protecting your home can also protect your pets. Understanding risks, and taking a few proactive steps can ensure your pets are safe, even when home alone.

Risks your pets face when home alone (& solutions)

House fires

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) estimates that around 750 accidental home fires annually are caused by the action of pets or animals, and that nearly half a million pets are impacted by home fires each year. Because pets have smaller lungs, smoke inhalation affects pets faster than humans. Animals also tend to hide during emergencies, which can make finding them more challenging for you and emergency responders.

Monitored security systems are a great solution for pet owners. Fire alarms that alert a monitoring center enables operators to dispatch emergency services even when you aren’t home.

Placing indicators that there are pets in the home, like “pet inside” stickers can signal to first responders that there is a pet that needs to be rescued. But, most importantly, early detection and fast responses to fires ensure that there is a better chance of survival for your pet.

Carbon monoxide

Like humans, pets also are unable to detect carbon monoxide (CO) in the air, and again since pets are smaller, they are actually more susceptible to CO poisoning than humans are. A pet home alone when a CO leak occurs has no way to get fresh air or escape. Especially during winter months, when windows are sealed shut, and heating systems are working their hardest, CO poisoning can become a major issue.

CO detectors are incredibly important in homes. With a monitored system, the monitoring center will be alerted instantly when CO is detected. Early detection is of utmost importance when pets are in the home. Small levels of CO that would only cause headaches in humans is toxic enough to be fatal for some smaller sized pets.

When placed throughout homes, carbon monoxide detectors can alert when there are leaks in your house. This way you can get help to your pet as quickly as possible, even if you’re not home.

Unexpected emergencies and medical events

Pets, especially young ones, have a lot of energy, and can injure themselves on household items when unsupervised. They might also ingest toxic substances while you are away like cleaning products, plants, or food. Power surges can damage heating or cooling equipment, leaving them in temperature conditions they can’t handle. Or, storms can cause damage to your home like broken windows or debris.

Each of these scenarios shares the same issue: a pet is home alone, an emergency occurs, and you don’t know until you return. Video surveillance systems bridge the gap between owner and pet by enabling you to check-in any time from an online portal on your smartphone.

You can check to see if a pet is comfortable and behaving normally. Cameras can even be programmed to alert you of any unusual activity, or if your pet accesses an unauthorized area of your home. This can be especially handy if you have a new pet and aren’t sure how they’re behaving when left alone. Speak to your security provider about programming your video system to meet your needs.

Our pets give us unconditional love, and trust us to keep them safe. When we aren’t there physically, there are ways to honor that trust by having 24/7 alarm signal monitoring, and camera systems to check in regularly. Being proactive about your pet’s safety gives you peace of mind and ensures they’re protected in an emergency.

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