More pet oxygen masks arriving at Wirral fire stations

Fire engines at three fire stations in Wirral are now carrying pet-friendly oxygen masks thanks to generous donations from animal lovers.

The masks, provided by a charity called Smokey Paws and paid for by donations, are part of a kit specially tailored for small household pets and larger animals.

The new kits are being carried on fire engines based at Upton and Wallasey Community Fire Stations in Wirral. Costing £90 each, the kits consist of three pet-sized oxygen masks that can be used for a variety of animals. They also include oxygen tubes, muzzles and a slip lead in case an animal becomes agitated while being rescued.

They range in size to fit small pets such as hamsters, snakes, dogs and cats and larger animals such as sheep and horses, and are designed to fit snugly around the snout of animals to ensure a better flow of oxygen.

Group Manager Rob Pritchard, who has worked closely with Smokey Paws to help procure the masks for MFRS fire engines, said: “It’s fantastic to now have pet oxygen masks on appliances at three fire stations in Wirral. We are incredibly grateful to the people and organisations who have helped raise money to allow us to boost our numbers of the Smokey Paws kits. They will vastly improve our chances of reviving many more animals in Wirral who have suffered smoke inhalation at fires. Once animals have been rescued they often, much like humans, require some form of oxygen therapy to assist in their immediate care and recovery. These masks are specifically designed to fit the faces of different animals and means we can tailor our response to the individual animal involved in the incident. Pets are an enormous part of any family, so we are thrilled that we have more of this life-saving equipment on fire engines in Wirral. It would be wonderful if we could eventually have a kit on an appliance at every station in Merseyside.”

If you would like to find out more about Smokey Paws’ pet life-saving mission, or if you can help raise funds and awareness in Wirral, please contact Lynn on 0203 195 3892 / 07340 754 408 or at lynn@smokeypaws.co.uk

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