SAN ANTONIO – July 15th is National Pet Fire Safety day. Just like kids, pets can turn average things around the home into fire hazards. It’s important to have a refresher to make sure you keep your whole family safe. Dog Friendly San Antonio has some great advice.
Open flames
- It’s obvious but open flames can start a fire when a curious cat or wagging tail comes by. Pets should never be left alone around things like candles
The stove
- Do you leave food on the stove? How about a pizza box? Even the best trained dog can be lured in by those wonderful smells. Browse the internet and you can see videos of big dogs reaching for food on the stove, hitting the knobs, and causing it to ignite into flames. Its good advice to always leave the stove clear when your not using it and think about taking off the knobs or using covers for when you’re not around.
The water bowl
- It might leave you scratching your head but yes even the water bowl can cause a fire. A glass bowl plus a wooden deck plus the hot Texas sun equals a magnifying glass and a potential fire. If your pets live outside or you like to help the outdoor critters, be sure to use ceramic or stainless steel bowls
In case of emergency
- If something does happen, you need to be ready. Have a family plan. A different family member should be assigned to each pet making sure they get out safely. Always keep your leashes by the door for a quick grab, and make sure all the pets are easy to grab and go.
- if you’re not home, you can buy decals to place on windows that will alert firefighters or neighbors that pets are inside and how many there are. Be sure they are easy to find and grab, so it’s easy for rescuers to get them out in time.
The best thing you can do is have the conversation with the whole family. Don’t wait until it’s too late. For more great advice from Dog Friendly San Antonio, check out their website.