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High School Student on a Mission to Save Pets

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Contributed by: Kimberlie Nitti on 10/30/2007

When fire rages out of control, as it has throughout southern California in recent weeks, the first order of business is to get people out of harm's way and to treat them for possible burns and smoke inhalation.

But people aren't the only living things caught in fires -- pets can be affected too. Unfortunately, most fire departments don't have any means to provide injured animals with the oxygen needed to restore proper breathing.

Kristal Brown, a senior at Bishop Alemany High School in Mission Hills and a lifelong Girl Scout, is hoping to change that. For her Gold Award project - the highest honor that can be earned in Girl Scouting - Kristal has set out on a mission to provide special pet-sized oxygen masks to every fire station in the city of Los Angeles. All 114 of them.

"I picked this project because it is close to my heart," Kristal says. "I love pets and figured I could help a lot of them by donating these masks to fire stations."

In 2005, there were more than 40,000 animal deaths resulting from house fires, compared to 4000 human deaths. Fire fighters often go to great lengths to save pets suffering from smoke inhalation or carbon monoxide poisoning, sometimes even resorting to mouth-to-snout resuscitation.

After Kristal learned about the challenges facing pets caught in house fires, she did some research and found a small company in Florida that imports specially designed pet resuscitation kits. Each kit contains cone-shaped masks - similar to ones used for delivering surgical anesthesia - that can seal tightly around a pet's muzzle and connect by a tube to an oxygen tank or flexible air bag. The pliable plastic masks fit animals much more effectively than the rigid plastic masks commonly used for children. The kits retail for $60 and contain three reusable masks of various sizes.

Kristal hopes her "O2 for Life" project will also raise awareness among pet owners about how to ensure pet safety in emergency situations such as house fires, floods, and earthquakes.

"When disaster strikes, essential things like water and pet food are often hard to get," she says. Pet owners are encouraged to prepare an emergency kit well in advance that includes:

- Food, water, and medications for five days.
- Medical and veterinary records.
- Pet toys, blanket or bed.
- Litter box and litter.
- ID tag attached to pet's collar (including owner's cell phone number)
- Pet carrier and/or leash.
- Current photo of pet with physical description.

In Kristal's words, "Being prepared before a natural disaster or other emergency hits will really increase a pet's chances for survival."

You can help pets and owners breathe easier by making a tax-deductible donation to Kristal's "O2 for Life" fund drive. She may be contacted at kristalsgoldaward@yahoo.com. For more information about disaster preparation for pets, visit the Humane Society's website at www.hsus.org.

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