What would you do?

[Genia]

Originally posted by jackiesdaisy1935:
Hi Albea:
We also have a sticker on our front window that says "Pets Inside"
"2 Dogs" for safety.

I have a sticker on my window saying "Child Inside", but I never thought about one for my dogs. That's a good idea.

[Albea]

Hi everybody!

Thanks for your responses. I knew you would understand. I have a fire alarm with a security company and a decal in my door indicating that there's a pet inside. Although I have a fenced yard, I don't like to leave Carina outside when I'm not home.
I believe I'll have to live with this fear no matter how many precautions I take

[Daisy's Mom]

No WAY could I leave my baby in a burning house. Being too young to have kids, Daisy is my baby and I couldn't let her die. My family thinks I am nuts too. We had a conversation about what you would grab first if you could only get one thing out of our burning house, and I said Daisy withut even thinking about it. There's just no way I could live with myself if I didn't risk my life for her the way I know she would risk her life to save me.

[wolflady]

I agree with everyone on this board! There's NO WAY that I would want to leave my babies inside of a burning house! Pets bring so much joy and unconditional love, that I can't see how someone wouldn't want to try and rescue their loved one! Like most of you here have experienced, people sometimes think I'm a little "loony" when it comes to being an animal afficionada.

Shai's mom, I can't believe someone had the gall to say that to you about Shai and her possibly having epilepsy! Obviously they are quite misinformed! Pam's right, they can live a long, and pretty normal life aside from taking a couple of pills a day. No big deal! That was a pretty dumb thing for that person to say, especially since they probably know how much you love your pet!! Reading about Shai is making my desire to rescue a greyhound increase!:-) I recently bought a book about it. Very interesting reading!
Margrete, are you a neighbor? I moved out to the San Jose area from IN last November. I live in Gilroy, but work in San Jose on N. 1st street...
Hugs to everyone and their babies!!

Hi, all. Cinder here ~

I asked my Firefighter Dad how to comment on this subject - he said it would be impossible to tell everyone reading this how to act in every possible scenario that they might encounter. He suggested we consider *Preventing* the problem from happening in the first place!

Make your and your pet's home or apartment is fire safe:

• Train the FurKids: no jumping near lamps or chewing on cords
• Don't leave appliances on when you go away - even for a minute
• Have SEVERAL smoke detectors - one on every level
• Invest in a monitored alarm system
• Ask your local Fire Department to do a safety survey of your home
• Ask a friend to enter and check the home every 4 or 5 hours
• Organize a Neighborhood Watch to be observant for fires
• Look at your candles - don't ever light one (sorry candle-lovers)
• Inspect & Clean chimneys - Often
• Inspect major appliances & heating units at least yearly
• Ask your Fire Department if they use Invalid and/or Pet signs
• Practice Fire Safety 24/7 and 365
• Leave the screen off one window in each room (easier to escape)
• Teach FurKids to sleep in your room (you won't have to search for them)

As for attempting to rescue your FirKid from a fire? You'll have to make that call. Base your decision on what you see and/or know about the severity of the smoke and fire. My Dad is a trained Firefighter - he knows how to search with a buddy with complete turnout gear and an air pack on his back. Would he search OUR house for Smokey, Boots the Kat and Me WITHOUT his gear on and with no buddy?
Yes - willingly and knowing it might injure or kill him - BUT he'd also be using all his Firefighter training and search & rescue skills to make it quick and less dangerous. (Stuff like crawl on his tummy, cover his mouth & nose with a wet cloth, search in a exact and consistant pattern, etc, etc.) Years of experience would give him an edge and maybe he'd pull it off... Would any Fire Chief suggest that a civilian should try it? Never!

Thanks, Dad. Let's hope nobody has to experience either a fire or a missing pet.


------------------
/s/ Cinder & Smokey
the Rescued & Adopted
FurKids of *Phred*

[shais_mom]

Wolflady:
Good book to get is Grey tales or something like that very good rescue story book.
And another one is Ratzo it is aimed towards 11-12 year old readers but it is still good.

[Karen]

Cinder, thank your Dad for the good advice for all of us - fire prevention is so much more important than worrying about what-ifs. And we know that Drew Barrymore's dog, and many pets of less famous people, are better sniffers and quicker to react to fire than us dull-nosed two-legged creatures.

[Gio]

I also would not hesitate I could never live with myself if I didn't try my best to save my babies. Besides fire I also worry about people breaking in (unfortunately is a recurrent thing over here), I would accept much if they took everything away, but I would be devastated if they did anything to my pets.

Cinder and Smoke please thank you dad for the advice.

[karen israel]

Yeah! The first thing Drew Barrymore said was she was glad all her pets were safe. She rescued the dog that alerted her to the fire-talk about payback!
As 2nd owners of our house, we learned later that the only reason the 1st owners moved was because their GSD died in a smoke fire and they couldn't live there without him The smoke fire started by dust accumilating inside the openings of the TV...
But yes, I SO agree with everyone, I am so relieved that I'm no the only person who would rush back in to rescue their pet. Not to make light of the matter, but I think if I yelled "cheese!" Cody would follow my voice and fly out the door! I hope it would be that easy! I hope I never have to find out! Terrifying thought!

[ownerof3dogs]

I didn't hear about Drew's story. What happened? what kind of dog does she have?

[Karen]

Drew's dog is a mongrel, I think. Here is all I could find, from Salon.com of February 21st:

AND SPEAKING OF DOGGIE DEVOTION

Drew Barrymore and Tom Green apparently have their dog, Flossie, to thank for saving them from the fire that engulfed their Los Angeles home and left it a charred ruin early Sunday morning.

When flames broke out around 3:30 a.m., faithful Flossie barked and, according to Barrymore's spokesman, Eddie Michaels, "literally banged on their bedroom door," allowing the affianced couple to escape unharmed.

"We're great," Barrymore told reporters at the scene, according to the Associated Press.

"Other than the fact that the home burned down," Green added.

Well, yes. There is that.