Printable
Printable Pet Rescue Alert Sticker
A fire can start while you are at work, and the crew that shows up has no way to know a dog or a cat is shut inside waiting. A rescue-alert notice on your window fixes that: it tells responders your pets are inside, how many, where they hide, and who your vet is. The ASPCA will mail you a free one, but that order takes six to eight weeks; you can print this and post it in the next five minutes. Fill it in, print it, and tape it facing out on a front window or door.
24/7 poison control: ASPCA (888) 426-4435 · Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661. A consultation fee may apply.
If you get out with your pets, cross this out or take it down, so no one risks their life searching a safe building for a pet already in your arms (ASPCA).
How to post it so it works
Print it, fill in the three lines, and put it where a firefighter coming from the street will see it: a front window or the front door, facing out. Slide it into a page protector or a removable window-cling sleeve so weather does not ruin it and you can pull it down fast if you evacuate with your pets. Keep it current when your household changes, and pair it with a wallet card so responders know your pets are home even when they find you instead of your house.
- The pet emergency wallet card covers the other case: when you are the one in the emergency, away from home.
- The one-page emergency plan is where you settle who grabs which pet and where you will go, before a fire ever starts.
- The house and apartment fire safety plan covers the get-out-and-tell-a-firefighter side this sticker backs up.
Free checklist
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Frequently asked questions
What is a pet rescue alert sticker?
It is a notice you post on or near a front window or door that tells firefighters and other responders that pets are inside, how many and what kind, and how to reach your vet. The ASPCA's guidance is to note the number and type of pets plus your vet's contact, and it works as a backup for the hours you are not home, when no one is there to tell the crew a cat is under the bed. The ASPCA will mail you a free emergency pet alert sticker if you order one, though it takes 6 to 8 weeks to arrive; this is the print-it-today version if you would rather not wait.
Where should I put it?
Where a firefighter approaching from the street will actually see it: a front window or the front door. Keep it current when your household changes, and put it low enough or large enough to read from a distance. Adding where your pets usually hide helps responders know where to look, since a scared cat burrows rather than runs to the door.
What if I get out with my pets?
Cross the notice out or take it down. This is the part people forget, and it matters: if the sign still says pets are inside, a firefighter may risk their life searching a safe building for an animal that is already in your arms. The ASPCA says the same. A dry-erase note or a removable sleeve makes this easy to update.
Should I laminate it?
For a window it helps, since a bare printout fades and wrinkles. Slide it into a page protector or laminate it, or use a removable window cling sleeve so you can take it down fast if you evacuate with your pets. Tape it facing out on the inside of the glass so weather does not reach it.
Does this replace telling a firefighter in person?
No. If you are home and get out, tell a firefighter immediately that a pet is still inside and where it hides, and never go back in yourself. The sticker is only a backup for when a fire starts while you are away and no one is there to speak for your pets.
Does what I type get saved anywhere?
No. This page does not store or send anything you type. It all stays in your browser until you print, and nothing you enter leaves your device. Fill it in, print it, and you are done.
Sources
- ASPCA – Disaster Preparedness (note the number and type of pets plus your vet; free emergency pet alert sticker by mail via their order form, 6 to 8 weeks for delivery)
- NFPA – Pet Fire Safety Tip Sheet (get out and stay out, tell firefighters a pet is inside, never go back in)
- Related: house & apartment fire safety plan · pet emergency wallet card · printable pet emergency plan