Man’s Life Saved by His Three Dogs

On Friday morning in Lewisburg, Tenn., a fire spread throughout Doyce Mitchell’s home. Quick to take action, Mitchell’s three Jack Russell Terriers (Luke, Fiddle and Pinch) ran to Mitchell’s bed and barked frantically to wake him up. Most of his home was filled with smoke by the time Mitchell got up.

“Lost everything but me and my boys I could care less about everything else glad me and the boys got out,” said Mitchell.

Without his heroic dogs, Mitchell may not have made it outside his mobile home.

Sadly, this is one of many stories that involve dogs saving lives. Nearly half a million pets are lost to house fires every year. To protect your dog during a disaster, create a safety plan for your family.

How to Make a Fire Safety Plan

Test your smoke alarm

Testing your smoke alarm ensures it’s properly working. While you’re testing, you should train your dog to go outside when he hears the alarm go off. You can do this a number of ways so consult with a professional dog trainer to help you.

Create an escape plan

As you have an escape plan for your family, plan an escape route for your dog. A doggie door is an easy way to ensure your dog escapes the home in the event of a fire, which is especially helpful if a fire breaks out while you’re not home. Also consider hanging a pet alert on your window to let firefighters know how many pets you have so they can be rescued.

Turn off appliances

Never leave electrical appliances and open flames unattended, as your dog may endanger himself. Before leaving your home, make sure these appliances, including the space heater, are turned off.