It didn’t take long. My terrier, Penny, wagged her tail and knocked a burning candle onto a pile of papers. I’m so glad I was there to prevent a disaster.
Did you know that the National Fire Protection Association estimates than more than 500,000 U.S. pets are impacted annually by home fires? They also estimate more than 1,000 home fires are caused by pets each year.
If you are like me, you love your companions. You don’t want harm to come to them. It’s important to take the right actions to prevent your pets from causing a fire. It’s also a must to take actions to prevent your pets from being hurt in a fire. There are many ways you can practice pet fire safety.
The number one thing you can do to prevent your pet from causing a fire is to not leave them unattended around an open flame. Curious pets are attracted to cooking appliances, candle flames and even fires. Stay with your pet and make sure to extinguish any open flame before you leave your pet unattended. Use flameless candles, which use a light bulb rather than a flame. They remove the danger associated with pets knocking over a lit candle.
Never leave glass water or food bowls on wooden decks. In the summer, the sun can heat up and filter through the water, which could ignite the wooden deck. Another good idea is to remove knobs from the stove, or at least cover them so pets can’t move them to ignite a fire.
Check your home to make sure there is no exposed wiring that your pets may be tempted to chew on. Not only could this cause a fire, it could harm them in many other ways.
One of the best things you can do to keep your pets safe from fires is to keep them in areas or rooms near entrances when you are away from home. That way firefighters can easily find them if the event of a fire at your home. Make sure to use a pet alert window decal by your front door’s main window so firefighters know how many pets are inside. Get your free pet alert window cling safety pack from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Practice fire safety drills with your family members and include your pets. Keep leashes and collars handy and near exit doors. It’s also a great idea to have monitored smoke detectors. These detectors alert an alarm monitoring center to summon help in the event of a fire. Monitored smoke detectors save the lives of pets who can’t escape when left alone.
Know your pets hiding places. They may be scared in the event of fire. Record any possible hiding places on your pet safety window decal.
Have an emergency kit for your pets. It’s wise to be prepared for your pets in the event you need to evacuate the home. Have their prescription medications. Include the name of their vet, the vet’s phone number and the address and phone number of the nearest emergency animal medical center. Put treats and toys in the kit and include towels and saline solution to wash debris from eyes and ears.
With a little preparation and planning, you can protect your pets from fires and fire emergencies.