Pet owners ranging from dogs to cats can enjoy more peace of mind in an emergency now that the Ventura County Fire Department is equipped with oxygen masks the fit muzzles and snouts.
The masks were officially donated to the Fire Department by the Emma Zen Foundation during a presentation at Station 43 in Simi Valley on Thursday, Feb. 28.
Norm Plott, a battalion chief for the Ventura County Fire Department, said that sometimes people forget that their own pets can be victims of emergencies.
“In the event of a disaster, the last thing you want to lose is your cat or your dog,” said Plott. “And in the event of a fire, we have to ability to possible resuscitate those animals.”
More than 40,000 family pets die per year in the United States due to fire-related issues according to the Emma Zen Foundation.
Plott explained the scenario of what would happen sometimes on the scene of an incident where family pets are involved.
“A lot of times when we go to a house fire and we’ll get to the fact all the people are out, but the [dog] is still in the house and we’ve all had those experiences,” said Plott.
The masks are designed to fit with existing standard equipment that is already on all engines and squads so they are available at a moments notice.
Gary Wilson, professor of animal science at EATM, said the new masks will be beneficial to pet owners. The masks could also help EATM animals in the case of a fire as well, he said.
“I think it’s a great idea for the fire department to have such equipment,” said Wilson. “Our emergency plan includes transporting the animals away from the zoo, if there is a sufficient threat from a fire. We have had to do that on a few occasions.”
In October 2003, a wildfire prompted the evacuation of the zoo and animals. The facilities were undamaged by the blaze, but two animals died due to stress related to the fire.
Wilson said all pet owners should have an emergency plan.
“A tip I would give to pet owners is to keep on hand a crate for each of their pets,” Wilson elaborated. “The great benefit is that the pet can be put into the crate and moved to a safe place while the owner deals with the emergency at hand,” said Wilson.
Wilson said crating pets can also prevent them from panicking.
“The smoke in the air can cause some animals to panic and hide,” Wilson explained. “It is better to get the animal safely crated so the owner can gather the other valuable things they want to take with them rather than spending time trying to locate a frightened pet,” said Wilson.
Of course not all pets are willing to get into a crate voluntarily. Wilson suggests owners should spend time with their pets getting them comfortable with the notion of being in a crate and rewarding them with a treat and then closing the door. He also suggests giving the pet additional treats for being calm to extend the time the animal stays in the crate.
