It's fire season in many parts of the world, so July is an appropriate month for Pets Fire Safety Day

We live in a gated community in the middle of a forested area in the California Gold Country. When we first drove through while looking for a home to buy, one of the first things we saw were signs pointing to an Evacuation Route. We are required by the terms of our CC&Rs to clear a 100 foot defensible area around our home for safety in the event of a forest fire.

The first year, the work needed to cut down trees, and remove dry brush and Manzanita trees, and have dry grass cut down, it cost us almost $2,000. It was well work the money when we passed our inspection, because the last thing we wanted was to lose our cats to a runaway fire.

National Pet Fire Safety Day helps to remind us of all the steps necessary in case of an emergency evacuation of our home. Several years ago, I prepared a list of steps to take for an evacuation, including a list of supplies to have packed ahead of time. Those supplies should be kept together within proximity to an exit door, along with pillow cases to hold the cats. Read my article, Preparing Your Cats for Disaster for complete information on these steps.

Thanks to Pets Best Insurance for the heads-up on National Pet Fire Safety Day. The information provided mentioned an article by Arden Moore, a certified dog and cat behaviorist with the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, who writes for Pets Best.