According to a study by the National Fire Protection Association, nearly 500,000 pets are affected by home fires every year. Not only is it important to keep your pet safe from home fires, it is often overlooked how easy it can be for your pet to accidentally start a fire. As pet owners, it is our job to protect them and take precautionary measures to ensure their safety. These simple preventative actions could make a huge difference someday. If you’re looking to learn even more about protecting your home against fire, conducting a fire risk assessment, and fire safety in general, visit this page to find useful information presented in an expert guide for your convenience. Fires can be dangerous for both homeowners and pets, which is why it’s so important that homeowners try their best to limit their chances of fires. By reducing the risk, a fire should be less likely to happen. However, accidents are easily made and a fire may be caused. To ensure your home will be covered in this sort of event, it’s important to make sure you have homeowners insurance that could help you cover the costs of this fire. Of course, homeowners will be more worried about the safety of themselves and their pets, but it’s good to know that the expenses of a fire can be covered. Insurance has an answer for this too: health insurance. Many people decide that it’s worthwhile hunting down a good health insurance quote so that they know if they do become injured (perhaps by a fire, in this instance) then the finances for their treatment will be taken care of and their money concerns can take a back seat while they recover. It’s always better to be prepared, so make sure to follow these safety precautions.

Safety Precautions

• Keep pets near entrances when you’re not home- Since pets cannot escape on their own in the event of a fire, it’s recommended to keep them near an entrance if you’re going to be gone for a while. Keep them near a door with their collar on, and a leash at the ready. This way, a firefighter would easily find them and quickly be able to rescue them.
• Smoke detectors- In addition to a traditional smoke detector, you may also consider connecting a monitored detector that signals emergency responders. This will allow them to be contacted when you’re not home in the case of an emergency. These systems give an added peace of mind for you and your pets.
• Pet alert window cling- In the case that your pet is not near an entrance and easily accessible, it is important to have a static cling on your front window listing the number of pets inside. This saves the rescuer time when trying to find your pets, ensuring that no furry friend gets left behind.
• Extinguish open flames- Our pets can’t help their generally curious nature, so it’s important we are cautious with what we let them get their nose into. They won’t hesitate to sniff out cooking appliances, candles, or even an open fire, so do not leave them unattended around these potentially dangerous items. If possible, it is recommended to remove stove knobs before leaving the house, as stove stops are the number one piece of equipment involved in pets starting a fire.
• Flameless candles– When it comes to candles, a harmless wag of a tail could be enough to start a blazing house fire. A good alternative to a traditional flame are candles that contain a light bulb. This takes the danger out of your pet knocking over a candle and starting a fire.
• Beware of water bowls on wooden decks-During the hot summer months, we’re constantly reminded how important it is to keep our pets hydrated. However, if you’re using a glass bowl you may be posing even greater risks. The sun’s hot rays when shining through the glass and water can heat up enough to ignite the wooden deck. Use a stainless steel or ceramic bowl to keep your pup hydrated this summer instead.

Taking these simple precautionary measures could save your pet’s life one day. You’ve done your part, so now it’s up to your dog to behave and follow the set expectations. If you need training for your dog, contact us today for our wide range of training courses!