What to know about National Pet Fire Safety Day

Friday marks National Pet Fire Safety Day, a time to learn how to keep pets safe during a fire and how to prevent one from happening.

The holiday was created in 2008 by the American Kennel Club and ADT Security Services to raise awareness of home fires and educate pet owners on how to prevent them, according to the pet insurance club’s website.

Each year more than 500,000 pets are affected by house fires, with 1,000 house fires caused by pets themselves, according to American Humane.

To help keep your dogs and cats safe, here are some tips from the National Fire Protection Association to prevent a fire:

• Keep pets away from stoves and ceilings.
• Keep pets away from candles, lamps and space heaters.
• Always use a metal or glass heat screen on a fireplace and keep it in place.
• Keep pets away from outside chimney openings. Have a “pet-free zone” at least 3 feet away from the fireplace. Glass doors and screens can remain dangerously hot for several hours after the fire is out.
• Consider battery-operated flameless candles. They can look and smell like real candles.
• Watch pets to make sure they don’t chew through electrical cables.