Keeping Your Pet Safe During a Fire

Pets are naturally curious. They knock cups over with their tails, they rearrange the furniture, and turn on cooking equipment. My clumsy pup likes to turn on my Xbox!

We don’t recommend leaving a pet alone in a room without first blowing out all the candles.

Fires produce a lot of heat very quickly. Room temperatures in a fire can rise to 600 degrees. Firefighting professionals warn the heat is often more dangerous than the flames themselves. This scorching heat can damage your lungs and melt your clothes to your skin.

Smoke and toxic gases can disorient you and make you dizzy. Smoke inhalation can leave you drowsy and disoriented.

These are the effects of fire on a human. Pets are in even greater danger.

It only takes a few adjustments to include your pet in your family’s emergency escape plan. Here are some things you can do to keep your fur babies safe during a fire:

  • Include your pet in your fire escape plan

  • Put a pet alert decal on windows in your home to let fire fighters know how many pets you have

  • Keep collars on your pets so that they’re easy to grab in case of emergency

  • Always extinguish open flames like candles and fire places

    • Battery powered flameless candles are a cute way to safely light your home

  • Bigger pet? Bigger trouble! Tall pets turn can turn on ovens and stoves. Places knobs out of reach so they can’t play while you’re away.

  • Create a dog or kitty emergency bag with survival must-haves such as food, meds, and evacuation supplies

  • Make your fire place pet safe

  • Make sure the contact info on your pet's ID tags are up to date in case they get lost during a fire

  • Keep your pets near entrances when away so that they’re easy to find

  • If you have a chewer, keep them away from electrical cords

    • Untangle the cords

    • Secure or bind them

    • Keep them out of sight

Items we recommend you include in your pets go bag:

  • Water

  • Your pet's regular food (to prevent discomfort or allergic reactions)

  • Bowls or plastic dishes

  • Litter and litter pan

  • Blanket or favorite type of toy

At STOP Carolina, we understand that your pets make up a very precious part of your family. Life without them is unimaginable. The most important thing that you can do to keep your furry friends safe is to prevent a fire from happening.

We hope you found this helpful!

Click here to sign up for a free pet safety pack from the ASPCA.

FEMA’s Ready.gov website also has great resources you can use to help prepare your pet for an emergency.

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