I know my peep would be devastated if I was ever caught in a fire and she is always trying to keep me safe at home and away. That is why she was shocked to hear that she may be putting me at risk just by the simple reason of charging her mobile.
Recently the charity Electrical Safety First conducted research in pet electrical safety and has revealed that animal lovers are putting millions of beloved pets at risk by exposing them to electrical hazards in the home.
Did you know that nearly two-thirds of pet owners said their pet would be a greater loss than material possessions in the event of a fire. The same number admitted leaving mobile phones charging unattended, an increasingly frequent cause of accidental electrical fires.
This rise can partly be attributed to an increase in the number of fake and sub-standard chargers available on the market. About 1.8 million chargers are bought online each year in the UK by mobile phone owners in search of a bargain. But these chargers are often made with poor quality components that fail to meet UK safety regulations.
Pets are a part of the family, and nobody wants to think of them helpless in the event of a fire.
~Emma Apter from Electrical Safety First
Watch what happened when this cat & dog were left home alone
We all want to keep our pets safe and pet electrical safety is a simple step we can do to help prevent fires and the devastation they can cause.
Pet Electrical Safety Around the house check list
- Tuck all loose electrical cords out of sight behind appliances.
- Don’t plug a mobile phone in to charge and then forget about it. Never leave devices plugged in to charge overnight or while you are out of the house. Look out for the CE mark that indicates chargers comply with European Safety standards.
- Check your wiring frequently for fraying and replace immediately.
- Make sure plugs are fully plugged into a socket. A Partially exposed prong could be dangerous to a curious pet and could get a shock on it’s nose or paw.
- Don’t let you pet nap behind electrical appliances such as computers, heaters, dryers, etc.
- Purchase Pet-proof cords or coat cords with a bitter substance to discourage chewing.
- Keep hair dryers, radios and other appliances in the bathroom a safe distance away from the water source. A playful pet can could knock these items into the water and create a dangerous situation.
- Unplug all accessible electrical cords in the room that your leave your young pet unsupervised.
- Freestanding lamps and exposed bulbs can reach very high temperatures, especially halogens, and could easily start a fire if knocked over by a feisty pet.
- Don’t leave portable heaters switched on and unattended, this can be particularly risky when pets are running around and likely to knock things over.
- Don’t overload plug sockets.
- Never leave appliances unattended – don’t turn the dishwasher or washing machine on just before you leave the house
What to Do if your pet gets an electric Shock
pet safety near electrical
If you think your dog has suffered from electric shock, make sure that you approach him with caution and care. He is already going to feel stressed and you don’t want to startle your pet. Also if the wire is still live you don’t want to be exposed to the source.
Take your pet to your vet or pet emergency center as soon as possible to see if treatment in needed.
If your pet becomes tangled in cords, again try to keep them calm and you may need help from another person to gently remove the cords and keep your dog still.
