6 Preventive Steps For National Pet Fire Safety Day!
According to the American Fire Administration, house fires affect about 500,000 pets each year, with nearly half of all fires caused by cooking-related blunders! That said, we want everyone who cares for and loves animals to know how they, too, can get involved in helping raise awareness.
Every year people educate themselves and go to great lengths to protect their pets and keep them away from other potential hazards. To celebrate this, a special day is dedicated to it, i.e. July 15th – National Pet Fire Safety Day. Everyone should already be practicing most of these fire safety measures to some degree. This also includes making sure animals are out of the area when it’s time to light or extinguish a flame.
But what do dogs do in a fire?
Does your home fire safety checklist include your dog’s safety measures?
And what if you are not around and your pet dog is home alone when an outbreak occurs?
If we have got you worried, this may be the right place for you. Know how to prevent, practice, and perform certain precautionary acts so that you, your family, and your dogs are safe.
Every household has some plans and preparations to facilitate escaping or taking care of each other when a fire suddenly breaks out.
Prevention: What can you do to help keep your pets safe from fires?
The saying Prevention is better than cure is genuinely an asset. So here is a list of some actions for fire prevention for dog parents.
Smoke Detectors
No matter where you live, whether in an apartment or a single-family home, you must install fire detectors throughout. Moreover, they should be checked monthly to ensure they are working, and the batteries should be replaced each year. Early detection can prevent hazardous issues from occurring again.
Candles
Candles are an excellent addition at any time of the day. They lend a sense of romance and relaxation to your home and create a bit of ambiance when you need it. But there’s a specific risk involved with candles. They are bound to get too close to curious pets. That is why you should invest in dog-friendly flameless candles. They will not harm your dog.
Stoves
When considering stoves and dogs, think of it as preparing fire safety for kids. Your dogs are similarly curious and mischievous as kids. A burning stove can be their newfound interest or the stove knob their chew toy – if they can reach for it. So keeping an eye on them while cooking or after leaving the kitchen is vital.
Wires and Cords
Wires and electrical cords can easily be mistaken for chew toys. Similarly, frayed, exposed, and damaged cords need to be replaced and taken care of. Try to keep the wires out of your pet’s reach and repair any cords that can eventually harm you or your pets. You may even want to unplug appliances after use, especially heaters that can be easily knocked over or hurt your pet.
Fireplace & Bonfires
No matter how adorable your dog looks sleeping in front of the fireplace or enjoying the bonfire – open flames are dangerous.
The open flames are harmful to a dog’s coat, and their hair or dander could easily ignite if they walk too close. That said, one should never leave a fire unattended once they’ve turned it on to ensure that nothing is ever burning. There may be no chance for any sort of flame to spread at first, but it can be very deceiving!
Updated Identification
Even if your dog doesn’t tend to run around a lot, it is still necessary for them to wear identification tags. Even if you’ve already got your pet correctly identified with tags and maybe even a microchip, it’s crucial to ensure that all of the information on them is up to date.
They’re more likely than others to become lost amid an emergency, and for some wild reason – people tend to assume that pets don’t have owners! So it’s essential to always be prepared even if you don’t think it’s needed. You’ll never know when you might encounter an unfortunate event like a fire or earthquake.
It is one of the most critical steps to prevent losing your dog when disaster strikes.
Preparation – Pet Fire Safety
No matter how prudent you are, staying prepared for the worst is better. Especially if you are a pet parent, it will be a difficult and struggling phase for you and your dog when facing a fire escape situation. There are many steps that homeowners need to take to prepare for the worst-case scenario when it comes down to the safety of their family.
How you leave the house, what you should take with you, and where to go all need to be planned ahead of a disaster. This will not only make things smoother for you, but your dog will also not panic.
Fire Escape Drills
Visualize the process and include your pet dogs in the fire escape plan. For example, if you were to evacuate for a fire alarm activation, exit the home with your pet and call for them once you’re outside. This training will make them grow accustomed to either the sound of an alarm or your yelling for them.
Knowing how to locate and get them out of the house safely, as well as making open access a possibility for them in case you can’t find them, will help pets escape from fires much more quickly than not being prepared for such an event beforehand.
Dog Emergency Kit
It is vital to have a dog-proof emergency kit on hand in case of a fire or if you need to leave the house in an emergency. The items that should be included are the things that will help you during and even after the setback.
Take, for example, food (non-perishables) for your pet and something to entertain and calm them. Also, some photos of your dog, a leash, and a first aid kit to attend to any minor injuries or burns. Contact your dog trainer or vet for more information.
A Carrier
There are times when you might not be able to pull your god around with you, and it may need to be carried. Dog carriers are safe and can be customized, but the important thing is to keep them available. Moreover, your dog should be trained to be carried in these carriers so that they don’t get fussy when it’s time to carry them in it.
Informing About Your Pet
In case you are not around, it is still essential that you make arrangements in case a fire breaks out when your dog is home alone. The firefighters who arrive at the scene should know how many pets and of what type are accommodating. Decals or stickers on windows or anywhere it is easy to spot for the rescuers need to be put up.
You can easily get free pet fire safety stickers online or at a pet store. Moreover, f you keep your dog(s) in a room, then make sure that too is visible and marked from inside and outside.
Where to stay
Deciding where to stay or keep your pet dog for a few days after an incident is also vital. Depending on the situation, you might have to make several choices. You might not be able to bring your dog back to the house temporarily or till the renovations. Ideally, have a conversation with a neighbor who will help watch them for a few days/weeks.
Also, ask another family member or close friend who could help accommodate your dog for the foreseeable future if need be. Maybe you can try Buckaroos Boarding if you are in Oklahoma.
We hope these safety tips have encouraged you to create a fire emergency pet fire safety plan. Make sure everyone in the household knows about it, should something occur! Because it is easier to be forewarned than wailing afterward. After developing a clear strategy, do a dry run of your plan to make sure that each step is mapped out.
To Conclude
One of the most important things we can do to keep our furry friends safe is thinking ahead, educating ourselves, and increasing awareness in general. Our dogs may feel uncomfortable in various situations, and it is our responsibility to help them overcome the problem. Prevent losing your dog when disaster strikes by making the necessary preparations before and after the calamity.
For example, prepare your dog for fireworks on July 4th, Independence day, by training them to deal with the situation without panicking. Furthermore, dog fire safety – with trying to prevent and then helping them deal and cope with the situation if they ever have to face one.
