Hey furry friend owners, this one's for you!
As a pet owner, you’re likely aware that both cats and dogs love chewing on things they aren’t supposed to, digging through the trash, and getting into trouble!
This can be harmless for the most part, but there are many things around the home that are harmful to your pet. And while it’s next to impossible to watch them at all times, it’s possible to create a safe environment for your pets.
By following a few simple rules, you can easily reduce the risk of your pet getting into trouble and causing any damage to your home.
We’ve rounded up 6 tips to keep your furry friends safe:
Pet Safety Tip #1: Put Anything Dangerous Out of Your Pets' Reach
Before you bring a pet into your home, it’s important to “pet-proof” it, just as you would with a child.
According to Fetch by WebMD, there are almost 214,000 cases of pet poisoning in the U.S. each year. Many of these are caused by household substances that might seem unharmful to you but can be very dangerous to pets.
To pet-proof your home, start by going through each room and moving anything that could be dangerous (i.e. medicines, human food, batteries, household cleaners, etc.) out of arm's reach.
It’s also important to keep anything breakable or harmful to pets out of reach or, even better, locked up. This includes harmful chemical products such as cleaners or paint and any houseplants that can be dangerous for pets.
Also, make sure to also get a tight lid for the garbage, as these can be easy for pets to get into and can be harmful if they consume the wrong thing.
Finally, to give you some extra peace of mind, we recommend installing Notion sensors on any cabinets or doors that should be restricted to pets. That way, if they do manage to break-in, you’ll be notified immediately and can step in before an emergency occurs.
Pet Safety Tip #2: Keep a Comfortable (and Safe!) Temperature at Home
There are few things as important as making sure your furry friends are living in a comfortable environment! And this includes making sure that the thermostat is set to a safe temperature for your pets.
In extreme colds and scorching hot summers, it’s common for the temperature of your home to fluctuate, which could make the indoors either too cold or hot for your pets.
According to Thermostat Guide, the ideal temperature for dogs in summer is from 78 degrees Fahrenheit and 69 F in the winter.
For cats, they recommend setting your thermostat between 86 F and 96 F during summer, and between 78 F and 80 F in the winter.
If you’re looking to keep tabs on your thermostat while you’re away, you should consider installing Notion’s room temperature sensors in your home.
When your room temperature monitoring sensor detects a change in temperature, Notion will send you an alert on your smartphone that the room has become too hot or too cold.
Pet Safety Tip #3: Have Neighbors or Pet Sitters You Can Rely On
Having a trusted neighbor to check up on your pets can be extremely helpful! If you’re staying late at work or you’re on vacation, it can be great to have a neighbor stop in and check on your pet.
Even if you don’t feel comfortable asking your neighbors to keep an eye on your pets when you’re away, it’s still important to introduce yourself and your pet to your neighbors.
This way, if your pet runs away or ventures outside your property the neighbors will know what to look out for and who the animal belongs to. Basically, it reduces the risk of your pet going missing or venturing too far from home.
And remember, if you don’t have that neighbor to help out, a trusted friend or qualified pet sitter are also great alternatives!
Pet Safety Tip #4: Keep Supplies or Food for Your Pets
This may sound like a no-brainer, but before you leave the house for the day, it’s important to make sure that your pet has enough food and water.
When animals get hungry or thirsty, they can become very anxious so it’s important to make sure they are comfortable and have an ample supply of food and water.
This can oftentimes be difficult to manage – pets are more thirsty some days than others!
A great solution to this is to use automatic cat feeders and automatic dog feeders, which control the portions and schedule the feedings for your pets.
Also, if you feel sad about not being able to play with your pets all day, check out the Furbo Dog Camera! It has two-way audio and a treat tossing feature that can be a fun way to play with your pet during the day.
Otherwise, it’s important to make sure your pet has toys and things to play with so they don’t get bored!
Pet Safety Tip #5: Install a Pet Door With Sensors
Installing a pet door is a no-brainer if you want your pet and home to be as safe as possible! A pet door will allow your dog to go outside to use the bathroom and avoid any indoor accidents.
When you’re leaving the house in the morning, make sure to double-check that nothing is blocking the door or preventing your pet from getting out.
Pet doors can be very important to the safety of your pet, especially in the event of a fire.
To reduce any worry about your pet’s whereabouts, we recommend installing a Notion sensor next to the pet door so that you can keep tabs of when your pet is inside and out.
This can be very helpful if you’re away from your home and you need to call a neighbor or friend to check on your pet.
Pet Safety Tip #6: Install Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarm in Your House
If you don’t already have a smoke and carbon monoxide alarm, it’s time to get one! Not only for the safety of your home but also for the safety of your family and pets.
In fact, according to Protect America, around 40,000 pets die each year in house fires.
There are lots of ways to prevent house fires, the most important being that you have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
But what if you aren’t home when an alarm goes off?
For this, we recommend installing Notion sensors. They will notify you when the alarm is triggered, so if you’re not home, you can call 911 immediately.
Thanks for reading! We hope that you learned a few ways how to keep your furry friends safe and happy at home.
