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Comment by jeddawson | Hacker News Reader

It'll be interesting how this works at homes with pets. I could see that being a major concern for a household that would otherwise be fine with an in home delivery. Will Amazon have couriers that are diligent enough to ensure an escaped cat is returned?

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From the FAQ: https://www.amazon.com/b?&node=17285120011&tag=skim1x139863-...

Can I receive in-home delivery if I have a pet?

We do not recommend using in-home delivery if your pet can access the front door on delivery day.

It's also worrying for households that have animals that are not particularly friendly toward strangers. Would the delivery person be able to press charges should a home owners dog bite them?

Yes, you are responsible if your dog bites somebody. They might not press charges, but they would likely sue you (or Amazon's insurance company would directly or through a subrogation company).

You should probably talk to your own home insurance company as well. Owning certain breeds raise your premiums already (at least ours does), and enabling strangers into your insured property to now potentially interact with those breeds probably needs coverage.

Depending on where you live, a person breaking into your house could press charges if your dog bit them.

How about the homeowner putting the pet in a closed room the day a delivery is expected? Why put this on the delivery man?

Amazon CloudKennel™ will lure your pet into the kennel before the courier arrives and keep it secure while the delivery takes place. Choose from an extensive range of pet-bait on Amazon Fresh and Amazon Video. Suitable for common domestic animals only. Monthly subscription and wifi connection required. Restrictions apply.

I sure hope you patented that. Because it's coming.

I would buy this.

I'm not sure why this is being downvoted. The Amazon rules have an exception specifically for this case: if your pet can access the front door on delivery day. They've framed it slightly more positively and gently (I'd prefer, for my pet's sake, that they require the dog to be in a closed room), but that's exactly what it means.

I suppose some people might assume this means something silly like locking your cat in a broom closet of your one-room studio apartment, when many homes with dogs have a 'dog room' which is where the pet(s) stay when the owners are out of the house. Separating your pet from potential problems is a part of responsible pet ownership.

As the owner of a Newfoundland mix, I highly recommend it even without Amazon Key - not only does my dog appreciate having her own comfortable space in which she sleeps and to which she can retreat when there are too many people over, but it helps slightly contain the hopeless shedding and drool.

I don't get it either. Lots of people keep dogs in kennels. And I've had cats and they won't necessarily object to being put into a bedroom for a day.

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