Be Safe, Not Sorry!

By Jaime Mclendon-Boyer

Associate and Product Editor of Pet Product News International

Last Thursday I caught the tail end of a TV news report about a nonprofit animal shelter in Lake Elsinore, Calif., that caught fire.

Until today, I didn't know what may have caused the fire or if any animals died. The Press Enterprise reported that 39 animals perished in the fire, that office equipment was destroyed and that authorities suspect wiring below an air conditioning unit of an office trailer might have caught fire.

This makes me think of the retailers that sell animals and keep them in their stores. What precautions are retailers taking? And what are they doing to protect their vital records? Furthermore, do retailers sell products that help pet owners ensure the safety of their pets in the event of a fire?

Door stickers and window decals alert firefighters to the number and type of animals in a home. I've also seen a yard sign that serves the same purpose. A book with a pet's medical information is helpful, especially for pets that require medication or special food. What if a pet owner is away from home when the fire starts and the pet is put into the temporary care of someone else?

I worry that even after last year's California wildfires some retailers and their customers may undervalue the importance of such planning.

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