I read in one of these post's that someone didn't know how to get their dog out of a second floor in the event of a fire. This got me to thinking about how I'd get my 80lb lab out of our room and down 25' to the concrete below.

I have a rolled up ladder that hooks to the window so my wife and I can get out but there is no way I could carry Zeus down the ladder. So I took an old sea bag I had and cut it down the middle. I then cut a 16" hole in both ends for the dogs legs to go thru. I connected a 2' piece of cord to each corner. Each corner cord has a ring on the end. The final piece is a 30' rope with a hook at the end. The idea is to put the dog in the sling, connect the 4 cords to the long line and lower the dog to the ground.

I strongly recommend that you practise getting your dog into the sling because the first time I did it he didn't like it. Had there been a real fire I would have ended up throwing him out the window and hoping for the best. But we've managed to get the sling on him and I have lifted him off the ground in less than 90 seconds. I have not and will not lower him out the window until I absolutely have to. I'd like to get this down to less than a minute and now that Zeus knows I'm not trying a new way to give him a bath, he's playing along nicely. With smaller dogs you wouldn't need to make a sling, just drop them in the bag and lower them away. We store the ladder and swing in a Hope (we never need these items) chest at the end of the bed. Hope this helps others with the same situations.

Thanks Jim. I'm going to print out your post as another idea for Gary. You're right - the ladder thing is an easy solution for people, but not so easy with larger dogs.

Thanks!!
Beth

Beth I've actually come up with a better design and I'm thinking of producing the item. If you want the design email me.

i was told once (by a mechanical engineer, so take it with a grain of salt!) that since lateral force dilutes downward force, that hitting someone sideways - in general with a "hip and shoulder" charge - before they hit the ground would mean that someone could fall a few stories with only some bruising.

no idea if it's true, let alone if it would be safe with dogs, but it's something to think about, if you happen to be on the ground entertaining thoughts of catching an 80lb dog. :\

You can make a good harness VERY quickly out of a double snap lead and flat collar, for emergencies. Simply keep a double snap leash and tracking line by the window, and make sure your dog has a flat collar with a D-ring.

Simply snap one end of the lead to the dog's flat collar, and run the lead along his shoulder blades, then throw it away from you so it falls on the dog's opposite side. Pull the lead under the dog (which is now running behind his front legs) and slip it under the portion of the lead across his shoulder blades.

NOTE: If your lead has a floating ring, ensure the ring is positioned on this short length of lead across the dog's shoulder blade... Makes for a very convenient place to clip the tracking line later. If you don't have a floating ring, it still works though.

Pull it back towards you, tightening it but not too tight. Pull it back over the dog, slip it once again OVER, then UNDER the short piece across his shoulder blades, but this time pull the remaining end out BEHIND the harness (towards his tail, basically you want to rig it so the pull is anchored by the piece of leash that is sitting on the dog's shoulder blades) and then wrap the remainder from there through the collar and back (you should get one more wrap, maybe two... Three on a small malinois) and then when you can't wrap anymore, snap the other end of the double snap lead onto the collar ring. Voila! Instant harness! Snap a tracking line to this harness and you're good to go.

Jim,
I'm impressed that you've planned for what can be a common emergency - nice job!

Hopefully more folks will take your lead, it's the responsibility that we take on we assume care for a pet.

Again, strong kudo's to you!

Jim, EXCELLENT!

Also, maybe this s a good spot for saying that our fire department has stickers for the door that say "Firemen, We have ____ pets. They are ____ ." (Dogs, cats, whatever.)

A lot of dogs will hide under a bed or behind a couch in fear, in a fire. If the firefighters know they are there, if (for example) a fire breaks out when the humans are not at home, they are much more likely to get them out.

Of course, it goes without saying that a firefighter does not risk his/her own safety for a dog as s/he might for a child. But it's a layer of prevention that the fire department here recommends and that's very easy to do.

But Jim, man, that's very very excellent. I have planned my own route in such an event, and I have spare leashes near the bed (because the kitchen door, where they are usually stored, is at the other end of the place), but if I were on a second floor I would definitely be taking what you have done to heart.

Jim, thanks a million for your offer to share. In addition to my PM, I spoke with Gary and he is very interested in your plans, and I suspect the two of you might connect in other ways. (OK - I know that "connecting" is more of a GIRL thing!)

Connie, our fire department here used to have the stickers you are talking about. They no longer offer those, and haven't for years (for unrelated reasons i.e. cuts in funding or whatever). Mean time, I would encourage EVERY pet owner to put a sign on your door indicating what pets might be inside. Official or not, it's ultimately the individual Fire Person who will make a judgement call about these pets in our care. If your local fire department DOES have an official sticker for this purpose, I would highly recommend it. If not, I would still recommend a notice of your own device on your door/window.

Thanks again Jim! We will sleep easier with our disaster plan when we have better, more solid plan for getting four dogs out a second story window. I suspect your plan is way better than ours at this stage.

Beth