By Cindy Clayton
The Virginian-Pilot
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CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Abby Johnson was a reluctant snout model Wednesday morning.
Her owner, Capt. Steve Johnson, picked up the black-and-white Boston terrier and set her on the shiny front bumper of the fire truck.
He slipped a piece of dog biscuit inside a special animal oxygen mask and shoved it on her snout.
“It’s Milk -Bone chicken,” Johnson said. “That’s her favorite.”
Abby didn’t fall for it. The 7-year-old dog avoided the mask, and Johnson cradled her in the crook of his arm.
“She’s a little perturbed at me right now,” Johnson said.
Abby played fire victim for about 30 minutes so that Johnson, fire spokesman, could demonstrate new animal oxygen masks donated to the fire department by the Chesapeake Humane Society.
Each of the city’s 15 fire stations is getting a tote bag with three masks inside - small, medium and large.
“Because they come in different sizes, we can accommodate different snouts,” Johnson said.
As many as six of every 10 house fires happen in homes with pets, he said.
Firefighters have used modified human oxygen masks or cut up plastic baggies and hooked them up to air tanks to try to revive animal victims.
Dogs take smoke into their lungs faster than people do, Johnson said. Rescue efforts could be more successful with the right equipment. “The good thing is they’re pretty resilient,’' Johnson said.
The humane society’s board learned about the masks, talked it over and approached the fire department about the donation, said Diana Krell, board president .
Each set of three masks costs the group $55.
Abby sniffed her way along the concrete floor of the firehouse. She found two pieces of dog biscuit and gobbled them up.
Johnson stooped down and rubbed some stray hairs off her back.
“She starts to shed when she gets nervous,” he said.
After all, it isn’t easy being a doggie diva for the day.