Home Fire Safety Tips for Pet Owners

July 15 is officially National Pet Fire Safety Day — a day created by the American Kennel Club and home security provider ADT to help reduce the number of pets hurt or killed by house fires in the U.S.

According to the AKC, about 500,000 animals are impacted by home fires every year. Fortunately, just a few updates to your home and a little preparation for pet fire safety can help prevent your pet from being one of them.

Want to keep your furry friend safe from fires? Follow these home fire safety tips today:

1. Never leave your pet unattended near flames.

This is fire safety rule No. 1: Pets should never be left alone near a fire pit, active stove burner, lit fireplace, or any other sort of open flame. You should also make sure all flames are thoroughly extinguished before leaving the property.

2. Check your smoke alarms.

Having operational smoke alarms is critical to keeping your household safe in case of a house fire. If you can, get smoke detector system that is connected to a local monitoring center. This will allows firefighters to respond when you’re not home (but your pet probably is). 

3. Practice a quick escape.

Run a few fire safety practice drills. Test your fire alarms, and when the sound goes off, leash your pet and quickly lead them out of the house as you would during a real emergency. This will help train them on quick escapes as well as what to do when your smoke alarms start sounding. 

4. Set up your pet’s space near an exit.

If a fire does occur, having your pet in a far-off room or nestled in the back of the house will only make them harder to save. To prevent this, establish your pet’s personal space somewhere near the front of the house or, at least, by an exit. You should also have their collar and leash within arm’s reach.

5. Make your pet known.

Get a window cling to let rescue workers know of your pet’s presence, every pet owner should have one. It should be placed in a prominent exterior-facing window of your home and indicate what types of animals and the number of each on the property. You can find many options on Amazon.

Need funds to improve your home’s fire safety?

In some cases, you may need to update your house to improve its fire safety precautions. If that’s the case, a cash-out refinance may be able to help. Get in touch with an Embrace Home Loans office in your area today to discuss your options.