Vernon’s Dog’O’Pogo Agility Club gave out early Christmas presents to several North Okanagan fire halls.
The club help fundraisers during the past year to purchase pet oxygen makes through the Happy Dogs Legacy to donate to community fire halls.
Veterinarians from Creekside Vet Clinic in Vernon and the Armstrong Vet Clinic gave training to firefighters for the masks, as well as basic animal CPR. This was done at the Lavington, BX and Armstrong-Spallumcheen Fire Halls.
Among those doing the training were Dr. Janine Veronnea, Dr. Sietske Rijnen from Creekside Vet and Dr. Shaun Tryon from the Armstrong Vet Clinic.
Happy Dogs Legacy was established in June 2016, started by B.C. dog sport and pet owners to supply all fire trucks in B.C. with pet oxygen masks.
This came about after a Burnaby house fire in May 2016 took the lives of seven dogs and two cats (some of which could have been saved if masks had been available).
The legacy was established to ensure something positive came from the tragic event and after learning that life-saving pet oxygen masks are not a mandatory piece of equipment on every fire truck in B.C.
“We have now supplied three more fire halls in our area with pet oxygen masks,” said club president Shirley Green.