Rescuers to carry oxygen masks for pets

Six Appleton fire trucks and 13 ambulances will be equipped with oxygen masks designed to be used by dogs, cats and other small animals.

Alderman Richard Thompson initiated the program after he saw a newspaper photograph of a firefighter in Superior giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to a cat rescued from a house fire.

The money to pay for each $49 mask came from donations by local animal lovers.

The masks, which come in three sizes, will be distributed to each of six fire stations and to the Appleton Police Department K-9 unit, he said.