How to Keep Your Pets Safe Around Garage Doors

Garage doors may seem harmless, but they can pose serious dangers to your pets. From accidental entrapment to injury caused by malfunctioning doors, our furry friends can be at risk. As pet owners, it’s our responsibility to ensure their safety at all times.

In this article, we’ll explore the potential hazards and provide essential tips and precautions to help you keep your beloved pets safe around these common household fixtures.

So, whether you have a curious cat or a rambunctious pup, read on for our garage safety tips on how you can protect them from harm.

Potential Hazards of Garages

Garages can be full of potential hazards for pets, including garage doors themselves. Here are some of the most common dangers to be aware of:

• Entrapment: Pets, particularly cats and small dogs, can easily become trapped under garage doors or in their mechanisms. This can happen when your pet is trying to follow you around or explore the garage, and the door closes on them before they can escape.
• Malfunctioning doors: Garage doors can malfunction due to various reasons, such as worn-out parts, poor maintenance, or electrical problems. If a pet is near a malfunctioning garage door, they can be injured or killed if the door falls or closes unexpectedly.
• Unsecured doors: If a garage door is not properly secured, it can open or close unexpectedly, posing a risk to pets that may be nearby. This can also allow pets to escape, which can be dangerous if they are not familiar with the area or are not wearing identification tags.
• Heat and cold: Depending on the climate in your area, garages can become extremely hot or cold. Leaving pets in a garage for extended periods of time can lead to heat stroke or hypothermia.
• Sharp objects: Garages are often full of sharp objects, tools, and other potentially dangerous items that can cause serious injury to pets.

Garage Safety Tips for Pet Owners

To ensure your pet’s well-being around garage doors, consider the following garage safety tips:

• Install safety sensors: Most modern garage door openers come equipped with safety sensors that detect when something is in the way of the closing door. If these are installed correctly, they will stop and reverse the direction of the door if a pet or any other object is detected. Say goodbye to crushing accidents and hello to keeping your pet safe! These should be installed within 6” of the floor.  Any higher and they may not detect a pet that is lying down under a door that is closing.
• Keep your pet away from the garage door: It can be tempting to let your pets explore around your home, but it’s crucial to keep them away from garage doors while they’re open or closing. Pets don’t always understand the danger of the moving door and may try to dart underneath it at just the wrong time. Keeping them away from the door when it’s in operation helps to prevent accidents from occurring
• Train your pet: It’s a good idea to train your pet so that they understand basic commands like “stop” and “go back” when they are near the garage door. This way, you can quickly call them away from the door if it begins to move and help keep them from harm.

By taking the time to ensure the safety sensors are properly installed and adjusted and by training your pet, you can help keep them secure and reduce the chances of an accident occurring. Remember, it’s always better to be safe than sorry!