The Osage Fire Protection District has a new tool to help save family pets in the event of a house fire.
Dr. Ashley French, along with associates from Weathered Rock Veterinary Clinic, and Julie Braun, deputy executive director of the Missouri Veterinary Medical Association, presented the fire district with two pet oxygen mask kits Monday at the district's Station No. 2 in Wardsville.
"We wanted to help the animal owners in our community by supporting the efforts of our fire and rescue professionals so they will have the right tools to give our animals their best chance of survival," French said in a news release.
Each kit comes with three different sizes of masks that can be used on any dog or cat, as well as ferrets, guinea pigs, birds and more, fire officials said. They are to be used to rescue a pet that has suffered from smoke inhalation.
The Pet Oxygen Mask Project is a statewide program whose goal is to equip all fire trucks in Missouri with a pet oxygen mask kit.
The Osage Fire Protection District serves eastern Cole County including Wardsville, Taos, Osage City, Osage Bluff and Osage Bend.