10 Apr Pet Entry Safety
The pet entry door reads the unique signal of your pet’s microchip or the key on your pet’s collar and triggers the flap to unlock. When the door no longer senses your pet, the flap automatically locks back into place. Only that pet can use the door, so other pets or stray animals can’t use the pet door, sounds like the stuff from science fiction. But no, it is reality.
Pen entry doors, activated by a microchip that is in the collar, do exist, and as long as the collar is in place and the chip is sensed, the microchip flap will open for that pet only. Otherwise, the pet entry door is secured from unwanted pets that are not yours.
Why would you want to do this anyway?
What is wrong with getting up out of your comfy armchair, tearing yourself away from the game, or the latest episode of your favourite soap opera to let your pet out into the garden?
There was a story published some time ago which explained a rather tragic incident. It was rather alarming because it involved a rabid raccoon who snuck into a person’s home through a pet entry installed in a screen door.
As the story goes, the rabid raccoon entered the home around 4 p.m. and got into a fight with the homeowner’s cat, which did not survive the attack. The homeowner was able to call police who arrived at the scene and were able to taser the animal and later kill it. You can read the full story here ( https://www.centralmaine.com/2013/08/22/rabid-raccoon-sneaks-into-monmouth-home-kills-cat/ )
In this instance the pet entry may not have been a secure type, microchip flap type, and in your case the new arrival may not be a rabid raccoon, it may just be next doors cat wanting to feast on Tiddles lunch because it tastes nicer.
Tiddles may not be too pleased with the missing lunch, so a pet entry system with a microchip flap would help resolve the issue.
Are there advantages to fitting a pet door?
They provide independence for pets to exercise and explore on their own.
You can set the access options so pets can access the pet door freely on their own.
The pet entry doors are easy to install into doors, windows and walls and also to internal doors or cages to create sanctuaries.
Also with locking and selective entry options available you can prevent strays and other unwanted visitors from entering.
Pet entry systems come in a range of sizes to suit your particular pet.
There are some upsides and downsides to different types of pet entry systems. This means that you should do a bit of digging around at the reviews so you can purchase the best option for you.
Just for reference, you may find that some designs may be challenging to program if they should be allowing the pet to not roam at night. Others may have a locking or unlocking click which is a little too audible. There are those on the market which allow alot of drafts to enter around the edges of the flap. Some are battery-powered, handy if there is no convenient power supply nearby, and others which have a decent LCD display for programming the unit. The options seem quite endless.
The next series of options you need to account for is where the pen entry flap is going to be situated and what it is going to be secured into. Once again the assorted options should provide a list of where you can install the flap. Will you be installing it into PVC, uPVC, metal, wood, glass doors, walls or glass windows?
Most doors should come with a cutting template so you make the hole in the wall the correct size for the fit. There may also be options for manually locking the pet flap when it is not required or the ability to set a timer so Tiddles can only go for a walk between certain hours of the day.
These can be a bonus if you are engrossed in that TV program you simply cannot miss.
Why should you install one anyway?
Having access to the great outdoors is beneficial to us all, especially for a pet. It means that your pet can be encouraged to have exercise and fun in the outdoors. Having a pet entry system would mean that your pet would not have to scratch at the door or whine to gain attention and get out. Then there are the potty breaks, they can go all on their own. These things combine to provide your pet with the exercise, independence and stimulation they crave.
If you’re interested in a pet entry for your home, take a look at our Pet Entry packages. Alternatively, just take a look at our other services for more!
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