WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
The members enjoyed making the handcrafted one-of-a-kind canine ornaments and quilted tree skirt, as well as decorating the tree and sharing pizza, Dutch hot chocolate and homemade oatmeal cookies. Info on the Tree of Hope can be viewed by visiting the above link. We would also like to thank Andrew, the Manager of Petco in Stafford for his generous donation.
REBECCA SELL/THE FREE LANCE-STAR
Delta Evaluator Amy instructs Brad and partner Kosmo
Delta Evaluations: Brad & Kosmo meet "woman having a bad day".
HELPING ANIMALS IN TIME OF EMERGENCY OXYGEN masks SIZED FOR PETS
Animals breathe easier with donation from Stafford Dog Club
Date published: 3/19/2007
BY EDIE GROSS
Thirty years ago, young firefighter Jerry Jaskulski tried to revive a German shepherd using oxygen equipment made for humans.
He was bitten for his efforts. The dog, which suffered from smoke inhalation, didn't survive.
On Friday, the chief of Stafford Fire and Rescue's emergency management division, who still bears a scar on his left hand, thanked the Stafford Dog Club for its donation of four sets of oxygen masks made specifically for animals.
"At least we'll have the capability to help an animal in distress," he said to a roomful of club members and their dogs. "Taking care of each other and working together, that's what we're here for."
The dog club, founded two years ago, was looking for a way to give back to the community when treasurer Karen Donnelly spotted an article in The Bark magazine about animal-sized oxygen masks made in New Zealand.
She went to the Web site for Help Animals Inc., a nonprofit group that helps distribute the masks, and watched a video of one of them being used by a fire department.
"This is a dog that's obviously in distress, and they put the mask over his muzzle and pretty soon his tail starts wagging," said Donnelly, who has four Scottish terriers. "I said: 'This is it. This has got to be the thing we can do.'"
Incoming club President Victoria Lewon called Jaskulski to see if Stafford firefighters could use the masks. In fact, they could.
The fire department doesn't usually respond to animal emergencies, he said, but if rescuers find an animal at a fire or other event, they'll do their best to help.
Human oxygen masks don't fit snugly over an animal's face, so a dog or cat gets only a little bit of the oxygen it needs, Jaskulski said.
The new masks, made by McCulloch Medical, come in three sizes, all designed to form a tight seal around the animal's face.
Stafford firefighter/paramedic Dean Thompson works part time at The Hope Center, an emergency veterinary clinic in Vienna. He will teach other firefighters how to approach animals in distress and to use the masks, which have saved everything from dogs and cats to ferrets and parakeets, he said.
The masks will go to stations throughout the county. One set will remain with the battalion chief, who responds to every emergency, Jaskulski said.
The fire department plans to track how often the equipment is used.
Lewon, the proud owner of a black Lab mix and a golden retriever, said her fellow club members are thrilled to donate the masks, which retail for about $600.
"To know that we could make a difference between life and death for an animal," she said, "it's wonderful."
