In short: in a lift, the most serious danger is not the door closing on your dog, but the lead staying caught between the doors while you and your dog are on different sides. If the lift moves off, the lead tightens within seconds. The golden rule: go in and out together, on a short lead, with your dog against you and away from the doors.
We rarely think about it, because lifts are part of everyday life. Yet several videos of accidents like this have been shared in the press in recent years: a dog left on the landing, its lead caught in the doors, the lift setting off. These scenes are rare, but they unfold in seconds, and a few simple habits are enough to prevent them.
How the accident happens
The scenario is almost always the same:
- the owner steps into the lift, the dog hesitates or stops on the landing (or the other way round);
- the doors close on the lead, which runs between the two door panels;
- the lift is called or sets off;
- the lead, stuck in the door, is carried along with the lift while the dog stays on the other side.
With a collar, the pull goes straight onto the neck. With a harness, it goes onto the chest, but the dog can still be lifted and pressed against the door.
Why the door doesn’t always reopen
Lifts are fitted with a device that makes the door reopen if there is an obstacle. But this device is not designed to detect an object as thin as a lead:
- On lifts installed since the European standard EN 81-20 came into force (2014), the detection system must cover the door height between 25 mm and 1,600 mm above the sill, and detect an obstacle of at least 50 mm in diameter, according to the manufacturers of these devices.
- A flat lead is usually 1 to 2.5 cm wide and a few millimetres thick: it can fall below this threshold.
- On older lifts, detection may rely on one or two photoelectric cells at a set height: a lead passing above or below the beam is not seen.
The device may also be inactive during the very last millimetres of closing. A lead pinched at that moment can therefore stay caught.
Good everyday habits
- Go in and out at the same time as your dog, never one after the other with the lead stretched across the doorway.
- Shorten the lead before calling the lift: hold it close to the clip, with no loop hanging down.
- Put your dog at the back of the lift, against you, with your body between them and the doors.
- Lock a retractable lead in the short position or, better, use a fixed lead in buildings: the thin cord of a retractable lead is even harder to detect.
- Carry a small dog in your arms, especially if they are nervous.
- Wait for the next lift if it is full, if another dog is inside or if yours is agitated.
- Teach them to “wait” in front of the door, then a cue to go in with you.
If the lead is caught
- Press the door-open button immediately if you are in the lift and it has not yet moved off.
- Free your dog from the lead: unclip the clasp, open a harness buckle or let go of the lead if it is attached to you. A dog loose on the landing is better than a dog held by a tightening lead.
- Use the stop or alarm button in the lift if there is one.
- After the incident, have your dog checked by a vet, even if they seem fine, and report what happened to the building manager.
Practise unclipping the lead or opening a harness buckle quickly: under stress, the simple moves are the ones you have already rehearsed.
Other traps of the same kind
- Train, tube and bus doors: get on and off at the same time as your dog, on a short lead.
- Revolving doors: avoid them and use an ordinary door instead.
- Escalators: carry your dog or take the stairs. Paws, claws and a trailing lead can get caught in the mechanism.
- Automatic shop doors: don’t let the lead cross the opening while your dog is still outside.
The role of the building management
If the doors of your lift close abruptly or do not react to an obstacle, report it to the building manager: maintenance can check the setting of the detection device. A sign reminding residents to keep dogs on a short lead in the lift can also help everyone.
Frequently asked questions
Does a harness protect better than a collar in this case?
It stops the pull from going onto the neck, which reduces the risk of strangulation. But it does not protect against a fall or an impact against the door: prevention is still essential.
Should you avoid lifts with a dog?
No. You just need the right habits: go in and out together, short lead, dog away from the doors.
For more advice on walking on a lead, see our guides.
Sources
- Avire, EN 81-20 Standards for Lift Light Curtains (detection zone from 25 to 1,600 mm, 50 mm obstacle).
- Elevator World, EN 81-20's Impact on Elevator Door Detectors.
- SantéVet, Escalators and lifts: dangers for dogs (in French).
- Example of an accident reported in the press: HuffPost (in French).