Pets are very much part of a family, so this National Pet Fire Safety Day we want to encourage you to take actions to help keep your pets more safe, and include them when preparing for the worst.
- Microchip your pets and register them, have collars with current contact information on them
- Never leave unattended lit candles or space heaters plugged in and turned on that they could knock over
- Regularly replace the batteries in the smoke detectors in your home and test them. Replace smoke detectors every 10 years.
When it comes to evacuating your home due to an emergency, there's more to it than just getting our family members out and grabbing our Go Bag with the essentials; it's also our pets and livestock. It's crucial to prepare ahead of time, make an evacuation plan that includes them as well, and practice that plan.
- Have a rescue alert sticker on or near your front door with the number and type of pets inside, or add that information to your Community Connect or Smart911 Profile.
- Note where your pets like to nap or hide when scared so you can quickly find them or direct emergency responders where to look
- Have leashes or carriers readily available
- Be sure to grab pet medications, extra food, and favorite toys or beds
- Save your veterinarian's contact info and a nearby emergency animal hospital
- Follow your local fire districts and sheriff's offices during an emergency for instructions on where pets or livestock can be lodged following an evacuation, know which area hotels allow pets.
- For livestock, practice loading them into a trailer and having others load them into a trailer. Follow Jeffco HEAT (Horse Evacuation Assistance Team) for more information.
Additional resources:
- Fire Safety and Your Pets: Keeping Them Safe from the Unexpected - ASPCA
- 5 Steps to Create a Pet Fire Safety Plan - ASPCA
- Rotary Wildfire Ready Evacuation Steps
