Rescue operation for a pet
Rescue operation for a pet
When rescuing a pet, you must take into consideration any problems your pet may have, such as difficulty walking, illnesses and susceptibility to panic attacks.
Although the situation may be scary, try to keep your cool. Your pet may sense your fear and anxiety.
A pet will respond better to commands and actions if you remain calm.
Attach a sticker to your flat door saying ‘Huoneistossa lemmikkejä’ (there are pets inside the flat) to help rescue services take into account any animals at the scene when responding to an emergency call.
You can also attach a note on the inside of the door saying what type of an animal you have, how old it is and where inside your home it may hide when it gets nervous or panicked.
Rescuing a pet from a fire
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Take care of your own safety.
Don’t risk your own life while rescuing a pet. Seek shelter and contact the emergency response centre.
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Beware of smoke.
One of the greatest dangers during a fire is smoke. Try to stay as low as possible, close to the floor, where air is cleanest.
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Prepare for resistance.
Pets may get frightened and resist rescue. Be careful and gentle when you handle them.
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Act as calmly as possible.
Don’t transfer your panic over to your pet. Know your pet’s usual hiding places at home. This will make the rescue faster.
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Use a leash and a carrier.
Use a leash when you bring your dog out and a transportation box, a cage or a carrier when you transport cats or smaller pets. This will help you control your pet during a rescue situation.
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Maintain routines.
Pets may get frightened or confused in a fire. Try to stick to things and habits your pet is used to once you are safe.
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Go see a vet.
Once you have rescued a pet, take it to the vet for a check-up as soon as possible.
If your pet runs away during a rescue operation
In sudden and stressful situations, pets may run away.
If an animal has run away, don’t just rush out and yell after it, as this could make an already chaotic situation worse.
- Stay at the site of disappearance. If there are more people involved, one person should stay behind, another should go home and the rest can start making scent marks and spreading the word.
- Don’t chase the pet with a large group of people. It’s important that the search is carried out by a few people who are familiar to the animal.
There are some more specific instructions on how to find a pet in the ’If your pet runs away’ section.
Take action for safety – download the 112 Suomi mobile app!
Through the app, you will receive public safety alerts and notices directly to your phone. The app also provides instructions on how to prepare for various disruptions. The instructions can also be read in the app when the network connection is down, that is, in offline mode.
Download the free 112 Suomi mobile app
Instructions on how to report an emergency
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Call the emergency number 112.
Only call in urgent, genuine emergencies when someone’s life, health or property or the environment is under threat or in danger. If you use the 112 mobile app, remember to make the call through the app. This way, your location information will be forwarded to the emergency response centre automatically.
You can also call the emergency number 112 using a foreign mobile phone subscription. Even then there’s no need to use a country or area code: just dial 112.
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You can also send a text message.
If necessary, you can also report an emergency by sending an SMS to the number +358 112.
The use of emergency SMS messages is primarily reserved for individuals who cannot hear or produce speech. An emergency text message can only be sent from a pre-registered phone number. A number can be pre-registered on the Suomi.fi website.
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Do not call or text the emergency number in the following cases:
if the situation is not urgent, if you have general enquiries or want to ask a question or if you are reporting a disturbance where no one is in danger.
Source: Suomi.fi