Most people give little thought to the idea that their pets might burn their house down. Yet pets cause home fires a lot more often than you might think. Cats chew on electrical cords. They knock over lit candles. Dogs knock over barbeque grills, spilling hot coals on the deck. They might jump on the counter and knock something off the stove, or carry a flammable item and set it next to a space heater. Here are some stories and examples of pets starting house fires:

Dog sets his home ablaze by chewing on a cell-phone charger
In Tulsa, Oklahoma, a family dog decided to turn a lithium-ion cellphone charger into a chew toy, igniting a major house fire in the process. Footage from a home surveillance system shows the dog carrying the device into the living room, planting himself on a couch cushion, and biting down on the battery. Sparks could be seen flying out of the battery as he chewed. Some landed on the upholstery, which quickly ignited. The mischievous canine, a second dog, and a cat all stood by and watched as the fire grew, before all three made their escape through a pet door. (The Week, 8-30-2024, p. 12)