A cat caught in a house fire in London has become the first pet to be saved by newly-implemented pet oxygen masks. Two cats were rescued and one provided with oxygen by the London Fire Brigade after a fire broke out in Paddington on Friday afternoon.
Donated by not-for-profit organisation Smokey Paws, the equipment comes in three sizes of pet oxygen therapy masks and can be used on dogs and cats, as well as smaller animals such as rabbits, snakes and mice. The masks will now be carried on fire engines in Battersea, Paddington, Richmond and Hammersmith as part of a pilot scheme. If a success, the kits will be rolled out to stations across the capital.
Before the introduction of specialist equipment, firefighters rescuing animals that had inhaled smoke were forced to improvise to try to revive them. However, London Fire Brigade said they recognise how “precious” pets are to families and hope that the new kits will “bring a bit of hope and positivity to families in a traumatic situation”.
