Breathing Easy: Petplan Helps Pets Survive House Fires

Breathing Easy: Petplan Helps Pets Survive House Fires

07/24/17

Five fire departments awarded pet oxygen masks following social media contest

NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA (DATE) — Five fire departments across the country will be better equipped to save pets from house fires after winning a social media contest this week hosted by Petplan pet insurance.

Each of the contest winners will receive a set of pet-specific WAG’N oxygen masks. These masks are specially designed to fit over little snouts and whiskered faces to deliver a rejuvenating flow of oxygen — helping first responders save the lives of cats, dogs and other small animals caught in fires.

Watch: Adoptable puppies from Morris Animal Refuge help reveal the winning stations

Unfortunately, it’s not standard practice for fire stations to carry pet oxygen masks. Recognizing the critical need for these life-saving tools, Petplan launched a social media contest that asked fans to comment with the names of their local fire stations to enter them into the running.

To encourage participation and increase the campaign’s philanthropic impact, Petplan also donated one dollar for every comment to the Red Paw Emergency Relief Team, a Philadelphia based organization that provides emergency assistance to animals affected by house fires. The randomly chosen winners were announced in a puppy-packed video featured on Petplan’s Facebook and YouTube pages.

The winners were Hartford Fire Department (Hartford, VT), Norriton Fire Engine Company (East Norriton, PA), North Bay Fire Control District (Niceville, FL), Santa Monica Fire Department Station 1 (Santa Monica, CA) and Whetstone Fire District (Huachuca City, AZ).

Fires are incredibly dangerous for everyone involved, but pets are at particular risk of serious injury. While a person’s first reaction to a fire is to escape the house, animals instinctively respond to danger by looking for a place to hide. That makes it more difficult for first responders to locate them and get them to safety. By the time they’ve been rescued, pets are often suffering from severe smoke inhalation, and many won’t survive without immediate access to oxygen.

“We at Petplan are dedicated to protecting our four-legged friends wherever possible, and we’d love to see every fire station across the country properly equipped to rescue pets”, said Natasha Ashton, co-founder and co-CEO of Petplan. “Our five winners are just a start, but Chris and I are delighted that we can help them do what they do best: save lives. We thank everyone who participated in this contest — including our puppy presenters!”

About Petplan

Petplan has built the industry’s leading pet insurance for pet parents who demand a higher pedigree of care for their best friends. We’ve leveraged 40 years of global experience to create completely customizable coverage pet parents can feel confident in, and world-class claims service that operates 24 hours a day, every day.

Petplan’s innovative approach to pet insurance has been recognized by Forbes, Financial Times, Bloomberg, Inc. magazine, Smart CEO, the Communicator Awards, Ernst & Young and many others.

Petplan policies are underwritten in the U.S. by XL Specialty Insurance Company and in Canada by XL Specialty Insurance Company-Canadian Branch. The company is rated A+ by S&P (2017). Coverage may not be available in all jurisdictions. For more information about Petplan pet insurance, visit www.gopetplan.com or call 1-866-467-3875.

About Wag’N

Wag'N O2 Fur Life is an educational and public safety company dedicated to providing pet oxygen masks to first responders across North America. For more information about WAG’N, visit www.petoxygenmasks.org.