Did you know that July 15th is National Pet Fire Safety Day? You may think it’s just another cause that us humans have named a day after for nominal reasons, but that’s not true. In fact, each year approximately half a million companion animals are affected by a fire in their homes. And close to 1,000 of those fires are actually caused by our pets. That’s why the American Kennel Club and ADT teamed up to make July 15th a day to spread awareness.
Tips to help protect you and your furry family members safe:
Put out open flames: When you leave a room for a large amount of time, make sure to put them out. Dogs and cats (especially those kitties) can knock over candles while you’re not looking.
Purchase flameless candles: These battery operated candles are perfect to give you the warm glow of a candle without the danger. You get the flickering light and no worry.
Secure easily tipped over lamps: Dog tails and cats can easily knock off lamps and start fires. We had a cute lamp on a banister once and our cat rubbed on it and knocked it over. Thank goodness we were home because the shade almost instantly started to catch on fire. We were able to put to it out easily, but it could have been a disaster.
Keep their area near a door or get a window cling: It helps if you can keep your pets near the front or back door. If a fire breaks out firefighters will have easy access to your pets if they are near an entrance. You can also get window clings to let them know how many pets are in the home. And as always, make sure your pets have updated tags on their collars.
Don’t use glass water bowls outside: Just like a magnifying glass water bowls can start a fire. Swap them out for stainless steel or ceramic bowls instead.
Remove stove knobs or use covers: Something we often don’t think of is our gas oven knobs. The number one place that house fires start is the stove. Pet can often be the cause of the this, so when you go out of town make sure to remove knobs or put covers on them.
Keeping our families safe starts at home. There is always something we can do to help. Do you have any safety tips or experiences you’d like to share? Sound off in the comments below!
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