Pet Fire Safety: What's Your Plan of Escape?

In an effort to educate pet owners about the risks of leaving furry friends alone at home, animal groups and fire departments marked Friday as National Pet Fire Safety Day.

Pet owners are reminded to include pets in fire prevention plans and rescue alerts.

The awareness day was first designated in 2009 by the American Kennel Club and ADT. Pets and wild animals are involved in starting about 700 home fires each year, according to the National Fire Protection Association, and about three-quarters of those fires were were sparked by cooking equipment, fireplaces or chimneys, lighting or candles.

"One of the hallmarks of responsible dog ownership is keeping pets safe and planning for unexpected emergencies, including house fires," AKC spokesperson Lisa Peterson said in a statement. "Pet proofing the home, developing pet-friendly escape routes and alerting rescuers of your pet's presence with ‘window clings’ is the best way to keep your four-legged family member from harm."

"National Pet Fire Safety Day" Tips to Keep Pets Safe from House Fires:

• Extinguish open flames Pets are generally curious and will investigate cooking appliances, candles or even a fire in your fireplace. Ensure your pet is not left unattended around an open flame and make sure to thoroughly extinguish any open flame before leaving your home.
• Pet proof the home Take a walk around your home and look for areas where pets might start fires inadvertently, such as the stove knobs, loose wires and other potential hazards.
• Secure young pets Especially with young puppies, keep them confined away from potential fire-starting hazards when you are away from home.
• Keep pets near entrances When leaving pets home alone, keep them in areas or rooms near entrances where firefighters can easily find them.
• Practice escape routes with pets Keep collars and leashes at the ready in case you have to evacuate quickly with your pet or firefighters need to rescue your pet.
• Since pets left alone can’t escape a burning home Use monitored smoke detectors which are connected to a monitoring center, providing an added layer of protection beyond battery-operated smoke alarms.
• Affix a pet alert window cling Write down the number of pets inside your house and attach the static cling to a front window. This critical information saves rescuers time when locating your pets. You can obtain a free window cling by going toadt.com/pets or at AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Days events. Details are available at akc.org.
• Keep your information updated Firefighters are familiar with pet alert window clings, so keep the number of pets listed on them updated. Knowing the accurate number of pets in the house aids rescuers in finding all of your pets.

Photo courtesy of the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services.
Tips courtesy of the American Kennel Club.