Best Bully Sticks says, “Prepare for Pet Fire Safety!”

Home fires are the most preventable, yet one of the most common family disasters in America. The American Red Cross responds to more home fires than any other disaster. 88% of American families say that their pets are an integral part of the family unit, yet house fires affect 500,000 pets every year. In fact, pets start approximately 1,000 house fires each year!

July 15^th marked the 3^rd annual National Pet Fire Safety Awareness Day. Best Bully Sticks believes that you can prevent fires in your home and protect Fido from fires by following these easy tips.

Extinguishing & Unplugging
You should be following this rule anyway, but make sure when you leave the house, there are no open flames or high heat appliances in use. Open flames in a fire, stove or even a candle can incite a curious dog’s mind. High heat appliances can include heat lamps or space heaters, which keep your dog warm in the cooler months. These might be a great idea, but when you leave home, it’s the best idea to turn them off.

Blowing Out Candles
Going back to the “Extinguishing” rule above; make sure you have all candles blown out when you walk out the door. Investing in flameless candles are not only a money saver, and even more possibly a house saver.

Remove Knobs
Leaving a plate or pot of food on the stove is somewhat normal. However when you leave the house and Fido sees a chance at easy food, your stove knobs can be unwittingly turned on. Using knob covers, or simply pulling the knobs off when you leave the house are an easy way to prevent this from happening.

Keep Pets Near Entrances
When you leave the house; make sure Fido is situated near an entrance. This could mean blocking off the upstairs or hallway of your home to ensure Fido is nearest an exit. This helps firefighters or other emergency workers find your dog and get him out easily.

Also, having leashes near that same exit is important in case an emergency worker needs to secure your dog when removing him from a burning home.

Smoke Detectors
You should at least have 1 smoke detector per floor of your house, however it doesn’t hurt to have more. You can even train your dog to go to the door, or walk out a doggy door when they smell smoke or hear an alerted smoke detector.

Smoke Detectors that are monitored by a security agency are also a good option. These detectors will automatically dispatch rescue workers to your home. Most even call you to let you know what is going on at your home.

Have A Window Cling
If the worst happens, and your dog is trapped inside a house fire, having a window cling on your front window is an easy way to tell emergency workers you have a dog in the home. Firefighters are trained to look for these identifying stickers and they save time when locating your dog.

All in all being aware of potential fire hazards is the first step in prevention. However, if a home fire does affect your family, it’s also best to have a disaster preparedness plan. Read BBS’s Disaster Preparedness and How to Treat Dog Burns blogs for helpful advice on addressing these issues. Be ready for anything; your dog and your family will thank you for it.

How do you plan to prepare for Fire Safety in your home? Tell us how in the comments section below!