Pets across the U.S. can breathe easier with the news that a minimum of thirty two first responder teams will receive special pet oxygen masks thanks to a nationwide campaign sponsored by Petplan pet insurance in partnership with Wag’N Enterprises.

On October 1, 2010, pet parents began uploading pictures of their pets on Petplan’s website to create their free, personalized pet rescue alert. Petplan offers the only window alert that can be customized to feature a loved pet’s photo, name, and potential hiding spots to help expedite rescue.

“Pets often hide during fires. Knowing the pet’s name or where they might be located can be helpful. Pet rescue alerts need to be kept up to date for the safety of family pets and our firefighters,” cautions Lt. Kevin Grogan of the Eastchester Fire Department in New York.

Motivated by fire-related injury claims, Petplan launched their pet rescue window alert campaign in 2008 to help save more pets in emergencies. That same year Wag’N launched its O2 Fur Life Program which to date has provided more than 1,200 pet oxygen mask kits to fire, police, EMS and K-9 departments across the United States and Canada.

Most municipalities across the country don’t allow their first responders (fire, police, and EMS) to budget for the purchase of non-human life support equipment.  Included in each Wag’N O2 Fur Life Oxygen Mask Kit are a set of three pet oxygen masks and corresponding oxygen tubes (22 mm), a CPR For Cats & Dogs magnet and laminated instructions to remind first responders of necessary resuscitation steps, a leash, two “Pet Oxygen Masks On Board” decals for display at the station and on emergency vehicles, an instructional DVD presentation and a PowerPoint presentation to train emergency personnel—all wrapped up in a handy Wag’N O2 Fur Life carry bag that can also be used to contain small animals. These pet oxygen masks can be used on dogs, cats, ferrets, birds, hamsters, alpacas, wolves and many more species.

“It’s just as important to prepare for a possible emergency, such as a fire, as it is to respond to that emergency,” said Ines de Pablo, Chief Wag’N Officer and a credentialed pet first aid and safety expert. “In Pet Emergency Management, pet insurance is considered a mitigation tool. The pet alert sticker is considered a preparedness tool used by pet parents to alert first responders of the presence of an animal needing rescue. The pet oxygen mask is the response tool. The pet oxygen mask is used by first responders to help save an animal’s life following its extrication from a burning structure. In terms of recovery, pet insurance completes the pet emergency management cycle by aiding pet parents in the financial recovery of veterinary expenses.”

The campaign, which continues to run until November 30th, provides pet owners with free rescue window alerts and notifies first responders of family pets and where pets might hide during actual fire-related emergencies. For every 100 pet rescue alerts created during the months of October and November, a Wag’N O2 Fur Life Pet Oxygen Mask Kit will be donated by Petplan to a U.S. fire, police, EMS or K-9 rescue team in need. At the date of this release a total of 3,247 alerts have been created, ensuring that thirty two U.S. first responder teams will receive the necessary equipment to increase their potential to save pets suffering from smoke inhalation.