Henry County Rescue Squad Association Gets Pet Oxygen Masks
Pets to Breathe Easier in Henry County, VA

February 25, 2019 (Henry County, VA) – The Henry County Rescue Squad Association is teaming up with Invisible Fence Brand of Virginia, located in Salem, VA, to help reduce the number of pets killed or injured in house fires each year. It is estimated that between 40,000 to 150,000 pets die each year in fires.

Invisible Fence Brand of Virginia has donated twelve (12) pet oxygen mask kits to the Henry County Rescue Squad Association. These kits will be distributed between the five (5) volunteer agencies and Henry County Department of Public Safety. The pet oxygen mask kits will help resuscitate a dog, or cat, when found in a burning home, and are made possible through Invisible Fence Brand’s Project Breathe Program. The Project Breathe Program has donated over 8,000 kits to fire departments throughout the U.S. and Canada.

In the case of a residential fire, once firefighters have assured human life is safe, attention often turns to pets in the home. When given the opportunity, rescue personnel want to help pets caught in these situations, but often haven’t had the proper equipment to do so. In the past rescue personnel have tried adapting human oxygen masks to fit an animal, but human masks don’t fit properly on the nose of dogs and cats, thus not providing the necessary supply of oxygen. The mission of Project Breathe is to provide local fire and EMS agencies the specialized equipment needed to do so.

The plastic, cup-shaped animal resuscitation masks, which come in three sizes, were originally developed for use by veterinarians. They seal around the muzzle of an animal tighter than a human mask. This helps rescue personnel deliver the right amount of oxygen to the pet to help save their life.

Project Breathe Program: http://www.invisiblefence.com/giving-back/project-breathe
For further information, please contact:
Travis Pruitt, President, Henry County Rescue Squad Association, Inc.: 272-226-0409 tpruitt@ridgewayrescue.com 
Steve Monaghan, Invisible Fence Brand of Virginia: 703-509-0526 I smonaghan@clarkif.com