Pet owners in North Plainfield can breathe a little easier - and so can their pets. The North Plainfield Fire Department now has specially-designed oxygen masks for use on dogs and cats, thanks to a donation from the Best Friends North Plainfield Pet Resort.

"Many families in this community have pets in their households, who may also suffer from smoke inhalation during a fire," said Chief William Eaton of North Plainfield Fire Department. "Our firefighters and paramedics simply weren't equipped to provide oxygen assistance to these pets. Until now, we've had to try to use human masks which don't fit properly and aren't very effective on animals."

Five emergency vehicles equipped
Two fire engines, one fire truck, one ambulance and one rescue vehicle will now have the ability to provide oxygen to dogs and cats who have suffered from smoke inhalation during a fire. Each vehicle will be equipped with a large canine mask, a small canine mask and a feline mask. The masks are designed to fit properly over the animal's snout, providing good oxygen flow to the lungs.

The masks were donated as a service to the community. "Pet care is more than just our business," says Kelly Kurash, manager of the Best Friends North Plainfield Pet Resort. "We understand the importance of the bond between people and their pets and Best Friends wants to support and enhance that bond. When we learned that the local fire department did not have rescue equipment for pets, we wanted to help."

The North Plainfield Fire Department will now have animal oxygen masks in five of their eight fire and rescue vehicles. "We understand that pets are part of the family, too," says Chief Eaton. "We're delighted to be able to offer this service to our community, but we'd really like to have masks for every emergency vehicle in North Plainfield."

"Cause for Paws" fund drive
To help realize that goal, Best Friends North Plainfield Pet Resort has launched a community fund drive, called "A Cause for PAWS" to collect funds to purchase more pet masks for central New Jersey fire departments. Notes Kurash: "We think that every fire department in our area should be equipped to rescue pets."

Donations can be made by visiting Best Friends North Plainfield Center at 825 Route 22 West. For directions, visit the North Plainfield page or call 908-822-9200.

Donors will receive an official ASPCA Emergency Pet Alert decal, which lets rescue workers know there are pets in the home in the event of an emergency. According to the ASPCA, applying Pet Alert stickers is a critical step in emergency pet preparedness. For more information on preparing pets for an emergency, visit www.aspca.org.