National Pet Fire Safety Day Date in the current year: July 15, 2024

According to statistics shared by the American Kennel Club (AKC), an estimated 500,000 pets are affected by home fires each year. Since the majority of pet owners consider their furry (and not so furry) companions to be valued family members, it makes sense to ensure they are protected from house fires and not left behind during an emergency escape.

If you have pets, you need to take a few extra steps in addition to standard fire safety precautions such as smoke alarms and CO detectors. For example, you should be especially careful with open flames because many pets are very curious and might hurt themselves or even inadvertently start a fire if left unattended around candles, cooking appliances, fireplaces, or other sources of open flame. It is also important to pet proof your home: make sure your pets have no access to potential fire hazards such as loose wires, stove knobs, etc.

When leaving home, make sure that young pets, especially puppies, are secured away from fire hazards, for example, in an enclosure or a locked pet-proofed room. The designated pet area or room should be as close to the entrance as possible so that firefighters can easily find and rescue your pets in case of a fire. You can use pet alert window stickers to inform firefighters about the pets inside your house; don’t forget to write the number and species of pets on the sticker.

When practicing escape routes with your family (which you should absolutely do, by the way), don’t forget to include your pets. Keep their collars, harnesses, leashes, and carriers ready in case you need to evacuate. Ideally, your pets should have their own disaster supply kit in case of emergency. It should contain hard copies of all pet-related documents in a waterproof container, a supply of food, water and medications, cleaning supplies, a pet carrier with bedding, and other necessities.

And one more thing. Regardless of how much you love your pets, human safety also comes first in any emergency situation. You should never endanger yourself or others to rescue a pet. This is why it is so important to be prepared for emergencies: the better prepared you are, the higher the chance you will be able to evacuate without having to leave your pets behind.

The AKC and ADT Security Services created National Pet Fire Safety Day in 2009 to educate pet owners on pet fire safety and help protect pets from home fires. The main goals of the holiday are to raise awareness about the potential fire risks faced by pets that are left home alone, educate pet owners on fire prevention measures, and spread helpful escape and rescue tips.

You can celebrate National Pet Fire Safety Day by making sure your pets are protected in the event of a house fire, sharing pet fire safety tips with less experienced pet owners, and spreading the word about the observance on social media with the hashtags #NationalPetFireSafetyDay and #PetFireSafetyDay.