The Importance of Being Fireproof

June 30, 2009 -

Hi everyone! Precious and Anna send their wags. It's been a while since I've written - I hope everyone is doing well and your pets are happy, healthy and fabulous. Check out the new www.pets.com site! I think it's pretty awesome. Now down to business. I have an important thing I never knew I'd want to blog about, so I hope you find this as important as I do: fireproofing your pets. I had an electrical fire in my bedroom this morning and while I stared at the bellowing smoke bounding out of the outlet, the only thing I could think of was getting my dogs out of harm's way. Don't worry: everyone is safe and there's minimal damage to the house. Heaven forbid you find yourself facing the same panic, here are things you should to know to keep your pets safe in case of a fire:

• Collars and tags are year-round accessories. If something happens during the chaos of an emergency and your pet gets loose - how will they find their way back to their soft, cozy beds? Tags and microchips can help ensure a safe journey home if a pet gets lost during an evacuation.
• Plan ahead. Make sure your pets are part of an organized emergency or evacuation plan. According to the AKC, fire experts say the number one reason pets don't live through fires is because they're contained in crates and can't escape. Please don't let this be your dog.
• The places you'll go. Can you go to a friend's house? A hotel? Look into having a boarding plan in place for your pets in case you can't return home right away after an emergency. It's also not a bad idea to have these phone numbers pre-programmed in your cell phone. I brought Anna and Precious to the PetsHotel right away this morning to get them out of the house (after the firemen left, of course.)
• Know thy neighbor. Neighbors are great for weekend fun, evening chats or if you're baking something delicious need to borrow a cup of sugar. They're also good if they have a key and can rescue your pet if you're not home.
• Two words: doggie door. If you don't already have a doggie door installed in your home, now may be the time to get one. I do. Doggie doors can give your pets a chance to rescue themselves in case of a fire.
• What goes up may not always come down. If you leave your pets home alone during the day roaming free, it may not be a bad idea to keep them confined to the ground level. This way, if something does happen, you don't have to worry about getting them down the stairs and outside to safety (as in my case this morning.)

Sources considered: American Kennel Club (AKC), PetSmart I know there are tons of other fire-related pet safety tips out there, so please share them. Pets are family - and it's our job to make sure we stay together.