The Invisible Fence Company in the Quad Cities area is helping fire departments in Henry and Mercer counties save the lives of pets suffering from smoke inhalation.
It’s part of its parent company’s initiative to donate animal respirators to fire departments across the country.
Veterinarian Pat Fairbrother, with the Vet Care Associates of Alpha, says giving pets oxygen after firefighters rescue them from a burning house can mean the difference between life and death. Inhaling smoke means people and pets can’t get the air they need.
“The fire department has masks for people; they don’t have masks for the animals,” Fairbrother says. “I just think it’s a wonderful thing that Invisible Fence is donating those because they’re not inexpensive.”
Fairbrother says he trained fire fighters in the villages of New Windsor and Woodhull and the township of Oxford how to use the masks and administer CPR.
He says CPR is a bit different for animals like dogs because they need less air than people.
Fairbrother says he explained to them that animals need less chest impressions and fewer pumps of air.
The veterinarian says emergency responders should try to keep awake pets calm while giving them oxygen.
The company’s website says the initiative, Project Breathe, is estimated to have saved 10,000 pets.
Fire departments can request a donated kit by going invisiblefence.com.
