Yea! It’s National Pet Safety Day! Hug your pet today.
When you and your (typically) four legged family member are done playing, think about the importance of a day like today. According to the United States Fire Administration, an estimated half million pets are affected annually by fires.
Develop a plan for your pet.
It’s important to always be prepared and keep all family pets in mind. One iomportant step that will help protect your pets from the dangers of a fire can be found in your family escape plan. Include all of your pets! Here are six things you can do to integrate your four-footed family members into your plan:
- Determine which family member will be responsible for each pet.
- Know where your pets hide, as this may be the first place they go if there is a fire.
- Plan to bring your pet’s carrier when you evacuate the house. It can be a safe and comforting place for your pet to be, especially when the fire truck arrives.
- Put a Pet Alert window sticker on a door or window near the front with the number of pets you have in the house. You can find these at pet stores or shelters. It will help the rescue team know to look for your pets.
- If you have to leave your home and go to a shelter, you will most likely not be able to bring your pets with you. Ask someone in your family or a friend in advance if they would be willing to keep your pets for you in case of an emergency.
- Practice, practice, practice. It may seem silly, but running through the plan will help everyone feel more comfortable about what they need to do and will identify issues that are not clear or have not been well planned yet.
Don’t let your pet start a fire.
Keep pets away from open flames.
Disable (or remove) knobs on stoves.
Flameless candles are safer.
Keep your pets in easily accessible rooms when away.
Use crates or baby gates for young pets.
Use a pet window cling (Sign).
It only takes a little bit of time to include your pets in your home evacuation plans and to minimize the fire hazards in your home.
MySafe:LA is always concerned about pets and their safety. Each of our classroom educational presentations includes important tips about keeping pets safe. We also have a new 2020 Pet Safety brochure – ask for one when you see us at an event or during a presentation.
