Firefighters with the Oro-Medonte Fire and Emergency Services are now equipped to deal with pet related emergencies.
They now have the use of oxygen masks specially made for pets.
The masks work just like the kind used on humans – only these ones fit over the snouts of dogs, cats, and just about any kind of pet you can imagine – big or small.
Deputy Fire Chief Hugh Murray says there have been a few recent instances when the masks could certainly have been used.
Mayor Harry Hughes says most pet owners think of their pets as family members and will often put their own lives at risk to save their pets.
Hughes adds now that firefighters are equipped to save pets, people will be less likely to make potentially dangerous decisions.
The oxygen masks are supplied to Oro-Medonte Veterinary Services by Invisible Fence Brand through the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association in exchange for a donation to the Farley Foundation.
That organization assists seniors, disabled people, and women at risk of abuse by subsidizing non-elective veterinary care for their pets.
