Helping Firefighters Help Pets

PetMask.com is the brainchild of Monica Plumb, an 11 year old, 5th grader from Powhatan County, Virginia. It was inspired by a news story she saw about a firefighter using a special oxygen mask to help a dog that suffered smoke inhalation after a fire. She wondered if the local fire department had such life-saving masks and found out they wanted some.

So she set to work making collection cans and fliers and placing them in local businesses. Within a few weeks, she was presenting the masks to the fire department. Then with help from her dad, she created PetMask.com to publicize the need for such masks and accept online donations.

Pets are often more vulnerable to smoke inhalation in fires because they hide. Unfortunately human oxygen masks don’t fit properly on animals and can’t be used to provide them with the much needed oxygen. These little cup-shaped pet masks were originally developed for use by veterinarians and seal around the muzzle of an animal tighter than a human mask. This helps firefighters deliver the right amount of oxygen to the pet and also protects the firefighters from an injured animal who may try to bite out of fear.

Visit the donations page to purchase pet oxygen masks for your local fire department.

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