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Pet gates serve a multitude of needs. Probably the most important reason people look to purchase a pet gate is for containing a pet in an area where they will not do any harm to themselves or destroy what's in the room.
The first and most common question people have is whether or not the gate they want to buy is OK to use around children as well. It's a great question and the answer can help you determine which gate in fact you should buy.
When gates are designed just for pets or just to use around children the criteria are different. However, over the last 30+ years manufacturers have found that designing their gates for a multi-use situation has been the better choice. So, today most gates on the market can be used in either circumstance.
There are things to look for because to make sure the gate you buy in fact meets these requirements. Free standing gates are not child-use certified. They are made such that there are no attachments made to walls or doorways and a child under the right circumstances could topple the gate.
You need to look for gates that carry one of the following certificates. The first is known as a JPMA certified gate. This stands for "Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association". This independent organization certifies the companies that manufacture and sell JPMA registered products. They also audit them to make sure they follow the standards and procedures for their operation, test the products in an independent lab as required and submit to random testing during the year.
The second certification a gate may have is the ASTM stamp. ASTM International (formerly known as American Society for Testing and Materials) is the organization in conjunction with the JPMA and manufacturers that develop and implement the standards. So if the gate has either certification they may be used around children.
As temptation as it may be, even using some of the old gates you may have around earlier years from your Mom and Dad might not be the way to go. It does not matter if you're using it for a pet or a child. The old finishes and designs can cause more harm than good.
Back in the day, the old accordion type gate was about the only type gate any of us used. But that style, materials they used to make it and whether or not it's sturdy enough really need to be taken into account. Its not that safety was not important back then, but it was the best we had using the information we knew.
The old gates also do not have good latching and locking mechanisms to keep the children safe and secure. I do not think pinch points were ever a concern and certainly they had limited stability. They are also known to cause both pets and children to get spoken in the "v" and several cases of strangulation have been reported.
So make an educated purchase by reading and understanding all that the industry has to offer today. There are over a dozen styles to choose from. Gates can be used for both pets and children and nowadays look great. So select a style and location and you'll be on your way. Good Luck.
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