CRESTVIEW — The Crestview Fire Department has a new rescue tool with a Main Street business' donation of a pet oxygen mask kit.
Customers of Pawsitively Scrumptious, a pet food, snacks and supplies shop, donated $85 to purchase the first of what owner April Meier hopes will be five kits for other local fire departments.
The money was raised between cash donations and $1 donated from the sale of each Firehose Dog Toy, a chew toy made from recycled fire hoses.
The Wag'N O2 Fur Life kit includes three sizes of pet oxygen masks, tubing, a kennel leash and animal rescue incident reports responders can complete and give to veterinarians.
One of Crestview's three manned fire stations didn't have a pet rescue kit until Meier presented it Christmas Eve. The next day, firefighters used the kit to save the life of a dog comatose from smoke inhalation in a house fire.
"If they didn't have that kit, the pet wouldn't have lived," Meier said.
Meier said the donation effort grew from a conversation last year with Fire Chief Joe Traylor.
"The chief said we have three fire stations for the city and one of them doesn't have a pet rescue kit," Meier said. "The city didn't have any money so I said, 'We're going to do a fund-raiser, Chief, and get a kit for you.'"
Her store is raising money to buy kits for the Laurel Hill, Blackman, Baker and Holt and Almarante fire departments. Ken Nielsen previously donated kits to North Okaloosa Fire District, Meier said.
Meier officially presented the kit to Crestview Assistant Fire Chief Ralph Everage Jr. at Monday's City Council meeting.
WANT TO HELP?
Donors may contribute toward the purchase of Wag'N O2 Fur Life Emergency Pet Rescue Kits for area fire departments. To help, purchase Firehose Dog Toys or donate cash at Pawsitively Scrumptious, 198 N. Main St., Crestview.
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Pet supply shop helps Crestview Fire Department save animals