Branford Fire Department Receives Donation of Special Oxygen Masks for Pets

The Branford Fire Department has received a donation of three sets of specially designed pet oxygen masks to help first responders resuscitate pets rescued during house fires. The gift came from at-home pet services provider Canine Company of Wilton, CT.

The department requested the donation after learning about Canine Company’s charitable campaign to get the life-saving masks into the hands of firefighters and other first responders in communities where it clients and their pets live. Laura Burban, director of the town’s Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter, coordinated the donation for the fire department at the request of Fire Chief Thomas Mahoney.

“My wife Sherry saw that another department had received a donation of pet oxygen masks from Canine Company and suggested I look in to it,” explained Chief Mahoney. “We had received a donation of masks in the past but it was many years ago. When I looked into the current condition I knew they needed to be replaced, that’s when I reached out to Laura.”

Chief Mahoney remembered that the first time the department used the masks they successfully resuscitated a dog overcome at a fire on Cedar Street. The dog’s companion went on to become a Branford Firefighter Paramedic after serving in the U.S. Air Force.

Canine Company has donated the pet oxygen mask kits to more than 80 communities across New York, New England and New Jersey over the past year.

“Our company was founded by a family of pet lovers and our mission is to help other families keep their pets healthy, safe and happy,” said Renee Coughlin of Canine Company. “We do that with the services we offer and it’s the focus of our charitable programs, too.”

To ensure firefighters know to look for pets in a home, Canine Company also provided free “pets inside” decals that families can place on a front door or window.

Canine Company provides at-home services to keep pets healthy, safe and happy. The company serves families across New England, New York and New Jersey with the Invisible Fence® Brand pet containment system, Manners dog obedience training, and mobile grooming and pet sitting. Its charitable Canine Gives campaign supports pet rescue groups and donates pet oxygen masks to first responders. For information, visit www.caninecompany.com or call 800-818-3647.

In the photo, members of the Branford Fire Department -- (from left) Firefighter/Paramedic Joe Maull, Fire Chief Thomas Mahoney, EMS Director Mark Testa and Paramedic Keith Kerr -- show off their new pet oxygen masks.