Fire and Pet Safety
by KYW's Nan Talleno
This week highlights Fire and Pet Safety for all pets left alone in the home.
According to the American Kennel Club, there is an estimated 500,000 pets affected by home fires each year. Pet proofing your home, developing pet-friendly escape routes and alerting rescuers of your pets presence with special window clings or stickers is the best way to keep your best canine and feline friends safe.
Look for particular areas of your home where danger may lurk, such as loose wires, loose knobs on stove, etc. Keep curious puppies away from dangerous areas or any areas where they can become trapped.
Never leave pets unattended around candles, stoves, etc. and always turn off the oven and extinguish any lit candles before leaving your house. Keep collars and leashes near the quickest exit of your home in case of an emergency.
Firefighters are very familiar with pet alert window stickers so it's important to keep an accurate number of pets listed on them and update it frequently This critical information helps rescuers locate all of them and bring them to safety. Attach sticker to your front window so it can be easily seen. For a free window sticker, go to www.adt.com/pets, or from the AKC (www.akc.org) and the ASPCA (www.aspca.org).
