Paws for alarm: Gas Safe and RSPCA join forces to keep pets safe from the silent killer
Pet owners could be putting their four-legged companions at risk by not spotting the tell-tale signs and symptoms of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, according to new research by Gas Safe Register.
Nearly all those surveyed (99%) were not able to correctly identify all the signs that can indicate their pet could be suffering from CO poisoning, despite more than four in five (83%) saying they care for their pet’s health and wellbeing just as much as that of a family member or close friend.
Nearly three-quarters (74%) didn’t know that red gums, ears or lips are some of the tell-tale signs of CO poisoning in cats and dogs. A similar number were unaware that irritable behaviour, drowsiness, difficulty breathing and breathlessness can also be signs.
If CO is present in the home, everyone is at risk. However, because of our pets’ smaller bodies and because they are often left in confined spaces for extended periods of time while their owners are at work, they can be more vulnerable to CO exposure and can be the first to show the signs.
In support of Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week, Gas Safe Register has joined forces with the RSPCA to make sure that the nation’s pet parents are clued up on the warning signs of CO and essential gas safety habits around the home.
RSPCA Chief Vet Caroline Allen says: “Pets’ smaller size and lower lung capacity make them more sensitive to CO exposure, so they may be among the first to feel the effects if there is a leak in your home.
“Obviously our pets can’t speak to us to tell us how they’re feeling so it’s really important that we keep a close eye for any changes in their behaviour or any physical symptoms that could suggest they’re unwell or might have been exposed to something dangerous.
“Therefore, we are urging the public to brush up on the symptoms of CO poisoning in pets, which can include drowsiness, vomiting, being unstable, reddened gums and unusual or unexplained changes in behaviour. If you see any of these symptoms or are at all concerned about your pet, we’d urge you to urgently ventilate the space, seek fresh air and speak to your vet.”
While pet parents typically spend around £2,000 a year to take care of their four-legged friend2, one in five pet parents with gas appliances in their home do not have a CO alarm, which can cost as little as £20.
Gas Safe’s Head of Professional and Field Services Rob Denman says: “As a nation of pet lovers, it is concerning that the majority of pet owners could not identify all of the potential signs and symptoms of CO poisoning in their pets.
“This concern is heightened by Gas Safe Register’s latest inspection data, which reveals up to 1 in 5 UK homes could have an unsafe gas appliance3. Left not serviced and unchecked year-on-year, gas appliances such as cookers, fires and boilers can cause CO poisoning as well as gas leaks, which – in some extreme circumstances – can lead to fires and explosions that can cost lives.
“This week is Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week and I want to make a personal plea for pet parents – and households – up and down the country to mark it by taking a gas safety action. Learn the signs of unsafe gas so you can spot it in your home, your family and housemates and in your pets, and get an audible CO alarm. It really could save lives.”
1 Research conducted by Opinion Matters on behalf of Gas Safe Register. Opinion Matters surveyed 1,000 UK householders (aged 18+) with indoor pets and gas appliances in their homes between 17th October and 21st October 2024.
2 Battersea Dogs & Cats Home 2023.
3 Findings based on 60,447 UK homes inspected by Gas Safe Register between 1st April 2023 and 31st March 2024. One in five were found to have an unsafe or faulty gas fire, cooker or boiler.
