When firefighters pull pets from burning buildings, a specialized oxygen mask can help save their lives. A Valley nonprofit is making sure more first responders have the tools to do just that.
The Fetch Foundation, based in Cave Creek, was founded by Marie Peck to help firefighters and police officers care for animals rescued from emergencies. Its FIDO bags are packed with specialized oxygen masks and other supplies designed to help pets suffering from smoke inhalation.
Peck and volunteer Kim Sasso prepare the bags at the foundation’s Cave Creek headquarters before shipping them to departments across the country. Their latest shipment is headed to a fire department in South Carolina.
The masks help deliver oxygen to animals overcome by smoke, giving them a better chance of recovery while they await veterinary care. They’ve been used on a wide variety of animals, including dogs, cats, geese and even donkeys.
Thousands of FIDO bags have gone out to fire and police departments, but Peck says there are still departments without them.
The nonprofit relies on donations and volunteers to get the equipment where it’s needed. Its goal is to equip every fire station in the nation, helping more first responders save pets when disaster strikes.
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