Are pet doors safe? Can burglars get through dog flaps? Are pet doors secure? This is a common question we are asked as home security specialists, and the answer is quite obvious when you think about it.
A small pet door for a cat or a toy dog generally will not compromise your home security. Even a medium pet door is considered quite safe. This is providing that the door behind it is locked and secured. If you leave everything unlocked then a burglar could potentially reach through with some kind of tool and release the door. If all is locked, as it should be, then the burglar shouldn’t get through the cat flap.
The problems arise from a large pet door. An agile burglar could quite easily get through and this could potentially happen whilst you’re still at home which is quite a scary thought. Obviously the large pet door is usually home to a large dog, often a deterrent in itself, but there is the possibility of a burglar quite easily gaining access to your home by crawling through the pet door.
Consequently, Crimsafe has deemed the addition of any size pet door fitted even with Crimsafe security screens as a compromise to the security of the finished product. Additionally, a pet door will weaken the mesh.
Essentially a large pet door can be used to gain access to your home for an agile burglar, additionally any pet door will weaken the strength and frame of Crimsafe mesh. If a pet door is fitted to a security screen door, it is wise to close and lock the door behind it when you are not home, and to be aware of the risk when you are home.