My number one irrational fear when I’m away is that my home will burn down and no one will save my cat. I’m not sure when this started, but now I can’t take a vacation without it crossing my mind at least once. While my fears are somewhat unfounded, fires do happen (in fact, there was one very recently close to where Sarah and I live), and they can get out of control quickly. Other than common sense safety behaviors, what can you do to ensure that even if your belongings don’t survive, your pet does?

The most important thing that I’m aware of are emergency door stickers. These are decals that you put on your front door notifying other people and rescue personnel that there are creatures inside that need help. You can buy these stickers many places, but ASPCA will give them to you for free just for signing up for their mailing list. Go ahead, do it. You can always unsubscribe later, and if you’re anything like me, it may help make your next vacation more restful than your last.