KCAC Holiday Pet-Safety Tip #4: Be Careful of Lit Candles!
- Editor’s Note: Christmas and New Year’s and all the days in between can be a stressful time for our furry friends, especially if most of the festivities are at your home. So Kane County Animal Control is offering this countdown of eight safety tips to make your pet’s holiday season merry and bright. We’ll add one tip every day — kind of like an advent calendar for pet safety. If you’d like to see all the tips at the same time, visit the Kane County Animal Control website: www.kanecountypets.com.
Kane County Animal Control’s No. 4 pet-safety tip for the holidays is probably also tops the list of holiday safety tips from every fire department in Kane County.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, U.S. fire departments respond to an estimated average of 10,630 home structure fires started by candles per year. (Those stats are for the five-year period from 2007 to 2011.) These fires caused an annual average of 115 civilian deaths, 903 civilian fire injuries, and $418 million in direct property damage.
Obviously, when you’ve got pets in the home the chances of a knocked-over candle can increase. There’s a clear and present danger to the pet as well as to the people in the house, so KCAC says …
Tip #4: Don’t Leave Lighted Candles Unattended
Don’t leave lighted candles unattended. Pets may burn themselves or cause a fire if they knock candles over. Be sure to use appropriate candle holders, placed on a stable surface. And if you leave the room, put the candle out!
Tip #3: Keep Meds Safely Out of Reach
Make sure all of your medications are locked behind secure doors, and be sure to tell your guests to keep their meds zipped up and packed away, too.
Tip #2: Get Animal-Loving Guests Involved
If your animal-loving guests would like to give your pets a little extra attention and exercise while you’re busy tending to the party, ask them to feel free to start a nice play or combing/petting session.
- For more tips on pets and guests, check out this article on the Pet Place website.
Tip #1: Give Your Pet a Quiet Place for the Holidays
Give your pet his own quiet space to retreat to — complete with fresh water and a place to snuggle. Shy pups and cats might want to hide out under a piece of furniture, in their carrying case or in a separate room away from the celebrations. A soft playing radio will also help to minimize the noise coming from your guests.
SOURCES: Kane County Animal Control / ASPCA website
Help a Pet During the Holiday Season
During the holiday season, Kane County Animal Control is asking residents to consider giving a gift to a needy animal this holiday season. For more on the “Season of Giving” campaign, check out this article on Kane County Connects, visit the KCAC website or Facebook page, or the KCAC holiday wish list on Amazon.com.
About Kane County Animal Control
Kane County Animal Control oversees rabies registration, protects public safety and ensures the humane care of animals through sheltering, pet placement, education and animal law enforcement. KCAC is responsible for the enforcement of the County Animal Control Ordinance. Together with local law enforcement and city animal controls, KCAC ensures the humane treatment of animals in Kane County. Depending on where you live in Kane County, you may be served by your local animal control facility, your police department, a state-level agency, or KCAC. For more information, visit the KCAC website and Facebook page.
