July 15 has been declared National Pet Fire Safety Day by the American Kennel Club and ADT Security Services, but why is it so important? Our pets are not able to pick up the phone and call rescuers if they are home alone when a fire breaks out. They also cannot open doors or windows to escape, so they must rely on us as pet owners to keep them safe. With more than 500,000 pets affected by house fires each year, and 1,000 fires estimated to be caused by pets themselves, it has become crucial to be educated on pet fire safety. Here at Kitty Kasa, we want to be sure that pet owners and pets alike are well prepared in the unfortunate case of a house fire.
Steps to Prevent Fires
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Avoid or extinguish open flames where possible in order to prevent a wagging tail from knocking over a burning candle, lamp, or embers from a fireplace. Never leave pets unattended near an open flame
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Secure or remove stove knobs when not in use so they are not accidentally turned on
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Secure or crate young pets around open flames as they may be less aware of where they are stepping or playing
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Keep wires secured pick up and organize loose wires around your home so that pets do not have access to chew on them. Offer a variety of different toys that are more readily available.
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Invest in monitored smoke detectors that will alert emergency personnel directly when smoke is detected in your home
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Make a plan that includes how you will evacuate your pet to safety
If a fire does break out, it's important to be aware of what you can do to help alert firemen to your pets location.
Help Rescuers Locate Your Pets
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Pet Alert window clings that are placed in windows at the ground level of your home, detailing how many pets you have can help rescuers know to look for your pets. Be sure to keep this information up to date and remove completely if you no longer have pets to avoid unnecessary, dangerous searching of your home
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Keep carriers and harnesses by the front door so that you or firefighters can quickly get your pets ready to be removed from the house
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Know where pets like to hide,paying extra attention to cat condos or trees that your pet may be more inclined to climb into. This way, firefighters can be alerted of certain areas or rooms to search before heading inside
For many of us, our pets are our family, and we want to be able to protect them as much as possible in the event of an emergency. The ASPCA also offers additional information on how to prepare your pet and home prior to a disaster here.
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