Dog Obedience Training | PET LIFESAVERS: Pet Oxygen Masks Help Hazelwood Firefighters Rescue Animals
PET LIFESAVERS: Pet oxygen masks help Hazelwood firefighters rescue animals
By Scott Bandle Tuesday, August 24, 2010 12:12 PM CDT
The firefighters fitted the oxygen mask on the muzzle of Sparky, the Hazelwood Fire Department’s mascot. Although there were some smiles, their intent was serious.
They were demonstrating some new equipment – a set of oxygen masks specifically designed to fit over animals’ mouths.
Donated by the North County Dog Obedience Training Club, the O2 Fur Life Pet Oxygen Mask makes it easier for firefighters to resuscitate a pet that is overcome from the smoke of a house fire.
The $78 set of masks come in small, medium and large sizes. They can fit on dogs, cats, ferrets, birds, rabbits, almost any size small animal, said Mark Iken, president of the North County Dog Obedience Training Club.
“This way, the idea is to save them and keep them alive until the owners can get them to a vet,” Iken said. “These masks gets more air to them than masks made for humans.”
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The new masks will make it easier to save pets, said Battalion Chief Randy Getz.
“They suffer smoke inhalation just like humans,” Getz said. “They will pass out and go unconscious.”
The training club now has the goal of donating a set of masks to every fire department in the St. Louis region, he said.
Some people might be amused by the idea of oxygen masks for pets, but it is serious to people who love their pets.
“People have a strong emotional ties to their pets,” Iken said. “We work with dogs and we understand the people’s attachment.”
The NCDOTC,
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