Ottawa Humane Society and Ottawa Fire Services Partner to Protect Pets from Emergencies

March 23, 2022 — The Ottawa Fire Services and the Ottawa Humane Society have partnered to help keep pets safe in the event of an emergency.

A “Save our Pets” emergency decal is available at no cost to anyone who would like one.

This decal is to be placed somewhere on the front of the home to alert firefighters of the total number of pets inside the home.

Decals similar to this one have been launched in the past, but were hard to remove and therefore not taken down when the information became inaccurate.

This new decal is vinyl and easy to peel away.  The OHS and OFS ask that home owners remove the decal and order a new one at no cost when the information changes.

“An emergency decal on your front door can make all the difference when disaster strikes, as first responders will know exactly how many pets in your home need to be saved,” said Bruce Roney, OHS President & CEO. “As the pandemic winds down and people begin returning to work, planning for how to protect our pets, especially while they are home alone, is very important.”

When practising your home escape plan, always make sure to keep your pet in mind and whose responsibility it will be to bring your pet to your meeting point. In the event that it is not possible to safely retrieve your pet in an emergency, never go back in to rescue your pets. Notify the 911 dispatcher that there is a pet or pets inside and give them as much information as possible (where the pet was last seen, where the pet sleeps, where they may hide if they are afraid, etc.) OFS dispatchers will ask the appropriate questions if something is missed and will quickly relay that information to the responding fire crews.

To order a no cost decal, please visit: www.OttawaHumane.ca/Decals

Media Contact
Ottawa Humane Society
Stephen Smith, Manager: Communications
stephens@ottawahumane.ca
www.ottawahumane.ca