Pets across the Burnham-On-Sea area will have a better chance of surviving household fires thanks to new oxygen masks for animals being carried on selected fire engines.
The funding for the sets of specially-designed masks has been provided by Pets at Home through its instore reward scheme.
Eight fire stations in the Devon and Somerset area are to benefit from the scheme, including Burnham-On-Sea and Barnstaple, Bridgwater, Brixham, North Tawton, Ottery St Mary, Topsham and Wellington.
Dean Hastie of Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service said: “I appreciate how important pets can be to some families and individuals. If this goes just that bit further to help improve the chances of survival for a pet, then it’s worth every effort.”
“Many pet owners live alone and rely on their company for support, so this is just as important to their welfare as well as the pet in a stressful fire situation.”
Pets at Home donated the money for the sets of masks to Smokey Paws, the not-for-profit organisation trying to help family pets in the event of a fire.
This donation of pet oxygen masks is one of 75 made by Pets at Home to fire stations across the UK, working in partnership with Smokey Paws, which imports the apparatus from the USA.
Fire stations in the US are provided with this equipment as standard, however in the UK, services are not provided with specific apparatus to resuscitate and treat pets which are unfortunately caught in fires.
Smokey Paws’ mission is to raise enough money through public donations, to equip every first responder in the UK with these lifesaving masks. For more information about Smokey Paws go to its website www.smokeypaws.co.uk
