Home Security and Your Pets: 4 Things to Consider
About 60% of the population of the United States owns pets. Numerous studies have shown benefits associated with owning a pet, such as stress relief and longer lifespan for the owner. In the past, many pets were an owner’s home security system - which you can read about in our previous post here - but now leaving the house means not only protecting your home and belongings but also your pets. Here are four things that you should know to protect your pets.
1. Monitor the Perimeter
Most security companies offer two basic types of sensors: open/close sensors and motion sensors. The open/close sensors monitor are used to monitor doors and windows and pet doors. While certain security companies offer pet-friendly motion sensors, an active pet can always cause a false motion alarm. Monitoring the doors and windows is the best way to keep your pets safe. If you have a dog or cat door, be certain to place a sensor on it so that you are notified if a burglar attempts to use it as an entry point. With some systems, you can also set the sensor to chime so that you know when your pet is coming or going. Additionally with a smart home security system and home security cameras, you can keep tabs on your pets with your activity feed and live feed.
2. Customize Access
When you go out of town, a home security system gives you the control to give pet sitters or dog walkers their own security access code. This way you know when they entered or exited your home. Some newer systems also give you the ability to set what days of the week or times of day their security codes will work preventing unauthorized entry. Using a smart, WiFi controlled security system, you could be halfway around the world and revoke or enable a pet sitters credentials depending on any emergency situation. You could even go so far as to remove physical access from your home if these codes are used in conjunction with a smart lock.
3. Trust the Sitter
A home security system does a great job protecting your home and your valuables but a home security system is not a judge of character. The majority of issues and problems reported about safety and security have to do with human error. If you give someone access to your pets you also give them access to your home and your belongings. Make sure you check references and do not ever leave your pets with a sitter you do not trust. Recently apps like Wag! have been used to find pet-sitters replacing friends, family, and professional services. However, there have been horror stories about what happens with someone with almost perfect ratings ends up doing in your home while you are away.
4. Pet Theft is Real
It is very sad to say, but burglars do steal pets. Pedigree dogs, birds, and exotic pets are the usual targets but according to petfinder.com up to two million pets are stolen each year for resale, dog fighting rings, or puppy mills and only about 10% are recovered by their owners. A good home security system should give you the peace of mind to feel good about leaving your home and knowing your pet is safe. The best advice is to leave your pet indoors when you are away from the house.
Owning pets can be a lot of work, but the benefits clearly outweigh the stressors. Owning a home security system has never been easier and a system like Scout Alarm is pet-friendly and can help you keep tabs on your pet from anywhere in the world.
