ELECTRICAL SAFETY QUIZ

BELIEF #4:

A PET THAT CHEWS ON AN ELECTRICAL CORD CAN GET ELECTROCUTED.

Yes. But a shock is more likely. "A pet that sinks its teeth into the 'neutral' and 'hot' portions of a two-wire cord would probably burn its mouth or get a little shock," says Reuben. But if an animal chews through just the hot wire, and the animal is lying on a metal heating register cover&emdash;or another conducting source&emdash;then electrocution could happen, according to Reuben. But in some cases, pets can die without being grounded.

This shocking experience gave an unfortunate jolt&emdash;twice&emdash;to Jay Perry of Arlington Heights, Ill. His 4-month-old Shetland Sheepdog was quietly chewing on an extension cord connected to a lamp when Perry entered a bedroom and flipped it on. There was a horrible yelp. Perry used his CPR training to revive the puppy, then rushed him to an emergency vet. A few months later, the dog went after a radio cord. "He just hadn't learned," says Perry. "We rushed him to the vet again, but this time he didn't make it.

"Interestingly enough, my wife and I later rearranged our living room and discovered that he had also chewed up speaker wires and other cords all over the place."

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