Each July 15th marks National Pet Fire Safety Day, sponsored by the The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), ADT Security Services, and the American Kennel Club® (AKC). Created to spread awareness about how our pets can actually start home fires, this day also places emphasis on teaching pet parents how to prevent them in the first place.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), pets have a part in starting about 700 home fires per year! To keep your family safe, AKC® and ADT offer the following tips to prevent a fiery situation:
- Extinguish Open Flames – Pets are naturally curious and love to investigate cooking appliances, candles, or even a fire in your fireplace. Ensure your pet is not left unattended around an open flame and make sure to thoroughly extinguish any open flames before leaving your home.
- Remove Stove Knobs – According to the NFPA, a stove or cooktop is the number one piece of equipment involved in your pet starting a fire. Be sure to remove stove knobs or protect them with covers before leaving the house. Cats are climbers and can accidentally hit a knob, while our beloved dogs are often food lovers and, if food is left on the stove, you can be sure they’ll want to investigate.
- Invest in Flameless Candles – If you love candles, consider those that use light bulbs rather than open flames. If you have several pets, this eliminates the risk of them knocking over a candle. Cats are notorious for starting fires when their tails turn over lit candles.
- Beware of Water Bowls on Wooden Decks – Though extremely unusual, this is not unheard of. There have been cases where a pet’s glass water bowl has magnified the sun’s rays, causing a fire on a wooden deck. It may sound far-fetched, but it’s better to be safe than sorry; choose stainless steel or ceramic bowls instead!
Whether your pet accidentally causes a fire or not, always make sure to have a sign outside of your front door or on a front window that says how many pets are in the home. You want to make sure that even if you’re not home, should something happen, rescue teams know how many pets they need to be looking out for. Keep safe and have a great summer with your loved ones!