VANCOUVER -- July is national pet fire safety month.
Roughly 40 per cent of Canadian households are home to at least one pet.
That equates to roughly 8.2 million dogs and 8.3 million cats.
It is a priority for Kidde Canada to spread the message of pet fire safety and that starts with training pets on what to do in the event of a fire.
Getting your dog used to the fire alarm is one of the best methods of pet training.
You want to make sure that pets don't panic and hide when they hear the alarm go off.
One of the best ways to conduct this training is to turn on the alarm, then encourage the dog to go to the door with a treat to reward them.
Keep repeating until it becomes instinctual when they hear the alarm sound.
Having an evacuation plan is important for families and pets should be included.
You want to ensure you know your pets' hiding spots or locations that they often nap in, in case you must evacuate quickly.
When you're not home it's recommended you consider crating them near the entrance or use baby gates to keep them in a safe space.
This allows first responders to locate them quickly in case of emergency.
Kidde Canada does have window clings available that can aid in a pet rescue.
The non-adhesive decals can be adhered to windows near your front door to let rescuers know how many animals are inside.
Lastly, pet training is important, but having a working fire alarm is imperative.
You can save yourself the hassle of consistently changing batteries and opt for an alarm with a 10-year battery.
