Invisible Fence Brand celebrates Project Breathe month as pet oxygen mask donations top 10,000

Rennerdale, PA - (April 11, 2011) ’ Today, firefighters of Rennerdale Fire and EMS will become some of the best-equipped in the nation to save a pet’s life. That’s because Invisible Fence? Brand is donating a total of 6 pet oxygen masks to the city’s fire departments.

This donation is just a small part of Invisible Fence? Brand’s Project Breathe?„?, which was established with the goal of equipping every fire station in America and Canada with pet oxygen masks. These masks allow firefighters to give oxygen to pets who are suffering from smoke inhalation when they are rescued from fires. The masks often save pets’ lives.

In April, Invisible Fence? Brand will celebrate Project Breathe?„? Month by donating more than 1,300 masks to more than 20 fire departments in Houston, Denver, Columbus, Miami and Las Vegas, just to name a few.

By the end of the month, Invisible Fence? Brand will have donated a total of more than 10,000 pet oxygen masks to fire stations all over the U.S. and Canada throughout the life of the program. A reported 50 pets have been saved by the donated masks so far, including two pets saved on April 1 in Willoughby, Ohio.

“When a family suffers the tragedy of a fire, lives are turned upside down,” said Randy Boyd, Invisible Fence President and CEO. “To lose a pet would just add insult to injury. Pets are valued family members, so we want families to know that their pet can be cared for if tragedy strikes.”

“We realize that humans are the first-priority, but in many cases, pets can be saved if firefighters have the right equipment,” said Boyd. “Project Breathe is simply a way of giving firefighters the tools necessary to save pets’ lives.”

Rennerdale is now joining the ranks of cities like Chicago, Cleveland and Memphis, who have all received donated pet oxygen masks from Project Breathe.

"Thank God they had the masks. They (the dogs) are just like family. I don’t know what I’d do without them. Things can be replaced. Lives can’t, whether they’re animals or people." Said a pet owner whose dogs were recently rescued using donated masks.

Although the number of pets that die in fires in not an official statistic kept by the U.S. Fire Administration, industry web sites and sources have cited an estimated 40,000 to 150,000 pets die in fires each year, most succumbing to smoke inhalation. In most states, emergency responders are unequipped to deal with the crisis. The loss is terrible for the family, heart wrenching for firefighters.

“These masks truly are blessings for Carnegie” said Assistant Chief David Brown. “We’ve seen residents run back into burning homes to save a pet. It’s understandable, but extremely dangerous. These masks will give Carnegie residents comfort in knowing that we can save their pets if they are suffering from smoke inhalation.”

The company has set up a website, www.invisiblefence.com/O2, where people or companies can support the effort.

Invisible Fence? Brand pet containment and avoidance systems are produced by Radio Systems Corporation and have a 98.5% success rating, according to Invisible Fence Brand. For more information, visit www.invisiblefence.com.