July 15th is National Pet Fire Safety Day, which emphasizes steps to take to prevent pets from starting home fires and getting them safely out if they do. As a survivor of the 2013 Black Forest Fire, and a Community Animal Response Team volunteer during the 2012 Waldo Canyon Fire, my concern is wildfire pet safety. As I write this in early June, on the 5th anniversary of the Black Forest Fire, we’re already battling a massive fire in the Durango area. It’s shaping up to be a busy fire season. Would you know what to do for your pets in case of wildfire?

Here are some lessons learned from both fires:

• Don’t wait for a fire to break out to have an evacuation plan. Know where you can go to if forced to evacuate and DON’T LEAVE YOUR ANIMALS BEHIND. As you pack up to evacuate, they must be your first priority. Your TV can be replaced. Your cat, dog, or other companion animal cannot. While working the Waldo Canyon Fire, I heard countless stories of cats allowed outside who had to be left behind because they panicked and wouldn’t come when called. My heart broke hearing people talk about letting their horses loose to fend for themselves because they didn’t have trailers to transport. BE PREPARED!
• If you work outside of your immediate area, befriend neighbors who work from home or are retired. Make sure they know how many animals you have, descriptions of each, instructions on where to find carriers and leashes. Give them a spare key or tell them where to locate your spare. Make sure they have your written permission to enter your home and remove your animals. Agree upon a meeting place so you can reclaim your pets from them. If you and your neighbors have horses or other large animals, make sure there is an adequate number of trailers available so all can be safely evacuated. We live in a society that doesn’t necessarily encourage socializing with neighbors the way we used to, but in this case, it could save lives. I have a neighbor who lost several dogs because he was in Denver and, by the time he made it back to Black Forest, the Sheriff’s Department wouldn’t let him in to retrieve his animals. They died in their outdoor kennels. If only I had known!
• Have a carrier/crate for each pet in your home. Yes, dogs can walk out on a leash, but you never know how an animal will react in a situation like fire, so better safe than sorry.
• Keep copies of important documents, including veterinary records, in an evacuation bag kept in an easily accessible place. Also include several days’ worth of pet food, familiar toys and extra bedding for your pets. Add a photo of you and your pet(s) in case you get separated and need to provide proof of “ownership”. Include a listing of emergency phone numbers for friends and family both in state and out of state. And, don’t forget any medication the pets may need. I thought I had everything dialed in, but raced out of our house without my cat, Miles’, insulin or heart medication. Yes, your veterinarian can get replacements, but it may take time and will surely add to an already stressful situation.
• Know what to do if your animal suffers from smoke inhalation. Pet CPR is very similar to human CPR and can help save lives should you need to use it. While HHF no longer offers classes due to the Red Cross putting all training online, the information is still out there. Take the online course and buy a Pet First Aid/CPR book and pet first aid kit. It’s worth the investment and peace of mind.
• And, lastly, GET OUT EARLY. Don’t wait for mandatory evacuation notices – pack up your pets and leave while you can do so with minimal stress and without endangering lives. We waited far too long, relying on TV coverage to tell us when to leave. When it was relayed to us from someone outside the neighborhood that the fire was coming our way, we had literally minutes to grab frightened animals, pack them up, and leave. My husband was the last vehicle down the driveway and had flames licking at the trunk of his car as he turned onto the street. He almost didn’t make it out. Two neighbors a block north of us didn’t make it out alive.

Remember, that as scary as fire is for people, you can at least communicate with one another and take comfort in being prepared. Animals, though, will follow their instinct to run or to hide, often putting themselves in harm’s way. They are counting on you to know what to do – DON’T LET THEM DOWN!