Essex County Fire Services is now better equipped to handle pet-related emergencies after a fire.
Eleven sets of pet oxygen masks have been donated by by the Essex County Veterinary Association, local groomer Barb’z Trimz for Dogz and Invisible Fence® Brand.
Each kit contains three reusable masks sized for small, medium and large animals. They can treat cats, dogs, ferrets, rabbits, guinea pigs and birds.
The donation comes after a number of recent house fires in Essex County. In one case, a cat was saved using one of the special mask sets that had been previously donated by Tecumseh Animal Hospital.
The eleven new mask kits will be at fire stations in LaSalle, Lakeshore and Amherstburg.
“We hope that this can help in the future to save the lives of animals who are affected by a tragic event such as a fire,” says Dr. Catherine Thomson McGhie of Tecumseh Animal Hospital.
Don Williamson, fire chief of the Lakeshore Fire Department says pets are often on the scene in emergency situations and they are susceptible to health risks arising from a fire.
“While our fire service teams never hesitate to assist an animal in distress, this donation means that each of the fire departments in Essex County are now equipped with the proper equipment to help save a pet’s life during an emergency,” says Williamson.
