The rule to remember.
Stay together. Keep the lead short. Keep it clear of the doors.
Never rely on lift door sensors to detect a lead or rein.
A thin lead can be missed by the doors.
Lift door sensors may not detect a thin dog lead. Do not assume that a lead across the doorway will make the doors reopen, even if they have reopened for a person or a larger object before.
If the doors close with you on one side and your dog on the other, the lead can become trapped. If the lift then moves, the lead can pull tight with potentially fatal consequences for the dog.
Liftinstituut’s dog safety guidance warns that lift doors may not react to a lead. Door protection is not a substitute for keeping you, your dog and the entire lead together.
For technical context, MEMCO by AVIRE explains light-curtain detection using defined target sizes and detection patterns. That is not a guarantee that a thin lead or rein will be detected.
Before the doors open.
- Bring your dog close beside you before approaching the entrance. Keep the lead short enough to prevent wandering, without pulling it tight.
- If using a retractable lead, shorten it and lock the extension before approaching the lift. Do not let the dog enter or leave at the end of an extended line.
- Put your phone away and watch your dog’s position. Let other passengers leave first.
- If the car is crowded, your dog is hesitant or you cannot cross together comfortably, wait for the next journey.
Enter together. Leave together.
Wait for the doors to be fully open, then cross the doorway together with your dog close beside you. Do not send the dog ahead or walk into the car while it remains on the landing.
Once inside, check that your dog and the whole lead are inside too, then stand clear of the doors. Keep the dog close throughout the journey so it cannot dart out at an intermediate floor.
At your destination, gather the lead before the doors open and leave together. Check that the lead has cleared the doorway rather than allowing it to trail behind.
Never use a lead, your body, a hand or a foot to hold the doors. If more time is needed, use the door-open button or ask someone already inside to do so. Do not rush through doors that are closing.
Children’s reins need the same care.
A thin strap or child’s rein must not be relied on to trigger the door sensors either. The same separation hazard applies if an adult and child end up on opposite sides of the doors.
Keep your child beside you, hold their hand, and enter and leave together. Keep reins and loose straps clear of the doorway; reins do not replace close supervision.
Keep children’s hands away from moving door panels and the gaps beside them, including while the doors are opening. Liftinstituut’s guidance for parents explains how hands can become trapped as lift doors open, including with glass and steel doors.
If something goes wrong.
If separation is about to happen, use the door-open button immediately if you can reach it safely. Do not assume the doors will reopen or attempt to force them apart.
If a lead or rein is trapped, raise the alarm immediately and alert building staff. Use the lift’s emergency communication system if you are inside. Tell the responder explicitly that a lead or rein is caught and whether a person or animal is in danger. The alarm or call button is not an emergency-stop button.
Call 999 if a person is in immediate danger. Do not climb out of a lift, reach into the shaft or attempt an improvised rescue. For a trapped or injured animal, obtain urgent assistance and veterinary help as appropriate.
A reminder for building managers.
A short notice beside the call buttons can make this risk visible before someone enters. Include it in resident or visitor information where dogs regularly use the building.
Dogs and lift doors
Keep your dog close on a short lead. Enter and leave together. Keep the whole lead clear of the doors. Do not rely on the sensors to detect it.
Report unusual door behaviour or an incident to the maintenance provider. Do not test detection using a dog lead, a child’s reins or anyone’s body. Suitable door protection and its condition need professional assessment; this advice applies even to a lift that appears to operate normally.