A house fire can be sparked in an instant.
According to www.redcross.org, home fires are the most common disaster that the American Red Cross respond to and are also the most preventable. July 15, National Pet Fire Safety Day, is a day to prevent, plan, and protect pets when faced with this natural phenomenon. Here are three tips in regards to safety for National Pet Fire Safety Day.
Fire Safety and your Pet
Prevention
The key is prevention. When leaving your home make sure all candles are blown out (or consider switching to battery-powered alternatives) and unnecessary cables are not plugged into the wall. If you have a pet who is prone to chew, bite, or get into mischief, pet-proof your home! Keep cables tucked away, and all drawers and closets closed. Distract your pets from trouble by having and pet-friendly toys and games accessible.
Plan
Have an evacuation plan in mind with your pet. Practice drills so that in a high-stress environment your pets can come when you call them. Keep leashes in a visible place by the door along with a pet evacuation bag. Also, keep pets in an accessible room when you’re not at home. A pet in a closed bedroom cannot make an exit to safety.
Protect
Alert firefighters that you have pets that need protection in your home. Place an emergency alert magnet, sticker, or placard near your front and back doors to alert emergency responders. Keep collars and identification current on all your pets.
With the aid of prevention, planning, and protection we can ensure additional pets will not become a statistic of National Pet Fire Safety Day.