Invisible Fence Celebrates 45th Anniversary With Pet Oxygen Masks Campaign

Writer  /  Lynda Hedberg Thies
Photographer  /  Amy Payne

In the United States anywhere from 40,000 to 100,000 pets across the country die in house fires each year due to smoke inhalation and fire departments that are ill-equipped to rescue pets. However, one company is working to reverse those statistics.

Invisible Fence launched a project called Project Breathe nationwide to help keep pets alive. Each year, they provide 30 pet oxygen sets to local dealers across the country to distribute to local fire stations and ambulance companies. Currently, the parent company donates 3,500 oxygen kits per year to help local first responders be prepared.

The Central Indiana Invisible Fence dealer is co-owned by Brad Bennett and his wife Shelly since 2006.

“Our first donation was to the Noblesville Fire Department in 2010,” Brad says. “Since that time we have donated the masks to fireman and first responders in Greenwood, Franklin, Fortville, McCordsville, Brownsburg including many locations in Indianapolis, such as Pike Township, which is completely covered.”

They know that more fire departments likely have a need and they are ready to help.

Most recently, the Brownsburg Fire Department was the recipient of the donated pet oxygen masks. Firefighter Ryan Miller shared that two weeks after the staff received their oxygen masks and had the training necessary to use them, they saved two cats who were in their home when a fire broke out.

“When there is a house fire, there is a lot of commotion going on, there is smoke and the fire itself,” Miller says. “In all the commotion, animals tend to hide and cats are notorious for this because they can hide in so many places. Our crews were able to locate the cats and bring them outside, but they were beginning to stiffen up and become rigged because they had been without oxygen for a long time. Fortunately, our crews were able to utilize the oxygen masks and put the training into place that they received two weeks earlier, and within a few minutes, the cats began to respond.

“Sometimes pets can figure out how to get out of the residence but that is not always the case,” Miller adds. “First and foremost, our occupation is to save lives whether human or animals. So what we do when we show up at a fire is we have multiple crews. One crew is to head into the fire with a hose line. The second crew is going to come in and do a primary search to find victims of the fire, humans and sometimes we get pets out at that time. We are so thankful for the opportunity through Invisible Fence to provide resources that we don’t often have. For Invisible Fence to donate these gives our pets the chance to stay alive. And as any pet owner will tell you, they are in fact part of the family.”

According to Stacy Goins, Community Outreach Specialist for the Noblesville Invisible Fence Dealer, “For those looking to keep their pets safe at home, contact Invisible Fence and learn about the ways that technology has changed the number of services, programs and means for protecting your pet, furniture, rooms, other pets inside the home in addition to the fences outdoors that they have changed with the ever-changing technology.”

For those interested in whether your fire departments have the oxygen masks, contact your local fire station and ask. If they don’t have them yet there is a simple solution.

“Any fire departments or ambulance companies that would like to apply to receive the masks can apply at invisiblefence.com,” Goins says.

Your pets deserve to be safe with your electronic fence and saved in the event of a fire. Call Invisible Fence at 866-804-1250 for any pet safety needs. Encourage your fire department to apply for the equipment in 2019. The pet you save could be your own.

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