National Pet Fire Safety Day Is A Reminder For Fur Baby Parents

July 15th is observed as National Pet Fire Safety Day and according to National Day Calendar the American Kennel Club in association with ADT Security Services declared this day in 2009 to "educated pet owners on how to take steps to prevent fires and to plan for unexpected emergencies effectively."

Families often plan for disasters such as house fires but many forget to consider how to prevent the loss of a pet either in the fire or in the panic of evacuation during a house fire.

National Day Calendar recommends observing National Pet Fire Safety Day by practicing your family fire drill and post a picture to social media using #PetFireSafetyDay.

FIRE SAFETY TIPS FOR PET PARENTS

• Consider flameless candles for a power outage or ambiance to avoid a pet knocking over the candle and starting a fire.
• Keep a spare leash and/or collar near the planned fire exit for your home to be able to quickly find and grab if a fire is out of control. Making sure your pet doesn't run off scared once the family evacuates is as important as making sure pets are also evacuated.
• Be sure to close doors and/or secure young pets in a kennel or pet-proof room to help avoid potentially creating fire hazards when you are away from home.
• Microchip your pet so that if they run away and are found they can be reunited with your family as soon as possible.
• Place a pet sticker or window cling, with the number and type of pets you have, including pet names is also helpful, to the window of the room in which your pet is kept so that firefighters can quickly find and rescue your pet(s).
• Have a plan for when your family is home so that each family member knows who is responsible for each pet.
• Designate a spot near the home, such as a neighbor's house, for family members to meet after evacuating a house fire.
• Stove knobs should be removed or made pet-proof (or child-proof) so that they don't accidentally get turned on and create a fire hazard.

PRODUCTS TO HELP PREVENT FIRES AND PLAN FOR EMERGENCIES