Check in app for pet owners
A safety check in app asks once a day if you are okay. With a pet, you need more.
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What a check in app does
You check in regularly, usually once a day, with one tap. If the check in is missed, the people you named are alerted. For people who live alone, that is a good idea.
For pet owners, something is missing. Your pet does not wait until tomorrow. And the person who gets the alert often lives far away and has no key.
What pet owners need on top
- A time that fits the absence. You are gone for four hours, not twenty four. The alert should come after four hours.
- People with a key. Helpers who can be there in ten minutes are worth more than a relative in another city.
- An order. Not everyone at once. One after another, until one says “I’ll help”.
- Address and key note at the right moment. Right there in an emergency, private otherwise.
- Notes on you. An emergency card in your wallet and a Medical ID note tell a finder that your pet is alone.
How PawSafe works
- You start the timer with one tap when your pet stays home alone. You choose a time between 30 minutes and 24 hours.
- When you return, you end the timer. With location set to “Always”, PawSafe detects your return.
- If you don’t check in, PawSafe opens an emergency and alerts your helpers one after another. Helpers with the app get a notification first, then SMS and WhatsApp follow.
- One helper taps “I’ll help”. You know right away and the others can stand down. If one says “I can’t”, the next one is asked.
There is no account and no login. You invite helpers by link or QR code. Up to ten helpers per household, messages in seven languages.
Daily check in app and PawSafe compared
The table describes typical daily apps in general. Individual apps may differ.
| Feature | Daily check in app | PawSafe |
|---|---|---|
| When does it ask? | Once a day, at a fixed time | Per absence with a timer, from 30 minutes to 24 hours |
| Who is alerted? | Usually one or more people you named | Your helpers, one after another in your order, until one says “I’ll help” |
| Notes about your pet | Usually none | Pet profile, emergency card and a text for Medical ID |
| Address and key | Usually not part of it | A helper sees address and access note only in an emergency, after tapping to reveal |
| Account | Often an account or email address | No account, no login, no email |
| When does it run? | Every day, also when you are home | Only during an absence for which you start the timer |
Two limits of PawSafe belong here. PawSafe covers the time your pet is alone. If you also want to check in on days you are home, a daily app fits better. You can combine both. And PawSafe is for iPhone. Helpers with Android are reached by SMS and WhatsApp.
Common questions
What is a check in app?
An app where you check in regularly, usually once a day. If a check in is missed, the people you named are alerted. Some people call this a dead man’s switch app.
Why is a daily check in not enough for pet owners?
Because your pet cannot wait until tomorrow, and relatives far away usually have no key. You need a time that fits your absence, and people who can get inside.
How does PawSafe work?
You start the timer when your pet stays home alone. If you don’t check in, PawSafe alerts your helpers one after another until one says “I’ll help”. A helper sees your address and access note only in an emergency.
Do I need an account?
No. PawSafe has no account, no login and never asks for an email address. That goes for helpers too.
Does PawSafe cost anything?
App notifications are free. SMS and WhatsApp for helpers without the app come with an optional subscription. The App Store shows the price before you buy. PawSafe is always free for helpers.