PET owners have been urged to use heaters sensibly after animals were killed in accidental fires.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service issued the warning because a dog, rabbit and three birds died in three separate incidents across the county.

In each case the pets had been provided with their own heating supply which was either knocked over or suffered a fault.

The most recent happened at an aviary in Leighton Road, Uttoxeter, at about 12.20am yesterday.

Cables running into the aviary short-circuited, sparking a blaze which destroyed the structure and killed the birds.

Station manager Ian Broadhead said: "There was an oil-based radiator in the aviary and the owner was running electric cables into it from a shed across the garden."

On January 26 a dog died in a fire in a wooden kennel in Marsh Close, Werrington, after it knocked over a portable heater.

And five days later a fire caused severe damage to a house in Chapel Street, Bignall End, after a pet rabbit knocked over a halogen heater which had been left on to keep the animal warm.