Scott Williams
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Copyright 2007 Journal Sentinel Inc.
WAUKESHA, Wisc. — When a house catches fire, even the best trained pet is likely to panic and hide rather than follow family members outside to safety.
But dogs and other furry loved ones now have a better chance of survival, thanks to the development of an emergency oxygen mask designed for pets.
A Waukesha distributor has sold thousands to fire departments and other customers throughout the country.
Waukesha Fire Department officials have outfitted their trucks with masks in the hope that firefighters will be able to revive animals that otherwise would have little chance after being pulled out of burning buildings.
"The outcome is not always positive," Battalion Chief Joe Vitale said. "If we can start them getting oxygen, that's better than nothing."
According to one animal advocacy group, 40,000 pets throughout the United States are killed or injured by smoke inhalation in house fires every year.
Smiths Medical PM Inc., a veterinary supply firm based near Springdale Road, originally marketed its oxygen masks for doctors to use on animals waking from anesthesia after surgery.
But when a fire department in Florida purchased some masks to treat animals rescued from house fires, the company found a new niche.
"It kind of took off from there," company spokesman Dean Knoll said.
In the past year, more than 3,000 kits costing $60 each have been sold with three different sized masks included.
Manufactured in New Zealand and marketed under the brand name SurgiVet, the device works essentially the same as an oxygen masks for humans, except that its shape fits snugly around a dog or other animal's snout.
One firefighter sent the company a videotaped rescue of a small puppy whose lifeless body was pulled from a fire. After a few minutes with the mask, the puppy was awake and wagging its tail.
Knoll said the product also works on cats, rabbits, cows, guinea pigs, goats and even birds.
"There's been some really, really nice stories," he said.
Hundreds of masks have been purchased by Best Friends Pet Care, a Connecticut-based chain of kennels and grooming salons.
Spokeswoman Debra Bennetts said Best Friends donated kits to about 450 fire departments nationwide. The charitable drive began after officials heard from a firefighter who was heartbroken after being unable to save a dog using mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
Pet owners, likewise, regard the death of a favorite house pet as a devastating loss, Bennetts said.
"They're part of the family," she said. "People who love pets really see this as important."
