Animal recovery oxygen masks donated to Cork City Fire Brigade 

Cork Animal Care Society says using oxygen masks specially designed for pets 'can save a life' 

Third Officer Martin Coughlan with his dog Perry trying on one of the new specialist oxygen masks for use by pets which were presented to the Cork City Fire Brigade by Albert Kleyn of Cork Animal Care Society. Picture: Dan Linehan

An animal welfare charity has donated animal recovery oxygen masks to Cork City Fire Brigade to help save more lives.

Albert Kleyn, a co-founder and chairman of the Cork Animal Care Society, said he was delighted to finally be able to present 10 packs containing the specially-designed devices to the city’s fire service after almost two years of work.

They will be distributed between Anglesea Street, Ballyvolane and Ballincollig fire stations, to the city’s civil defence unit, and two packs will be offered to the Garda Dog Unit.

“This is a matter of life and death,” Mr Kleyn said.

There are lots of stories about animals being pulled back from the brink of death by the immediate and proper administration of oxygen.

“Using oxygen masks for humans on an animal means the animal loses up to 85% of the oxygen flowing through the mask. These animal oxygen masks can save a life.

“This project has been very dear to my heart for some time now. I am so delighted now to finally be able to hand them over.” 

And in time, he said he hoped to donate more to fire stations across the county. 

Animal recovery oxygen masks, which come in three sizes, are designed to fit snugly and comfortably over the snout of a large dog or over the face of a small kitten.

Similar devices were used to save hundreds of kangaroos and koalas during the devastating bushfires in Australia just over a year ago.

Animal recovery oxygen masks come in three sizes and are designed to fit snugly and comfortably over the snout of a large dog or over the face of a small kitten. Picture Dan Linehan

Martin Coughlan, a third officer with Cork City Fire Brigade, said they had encountered situations where animals required oxygen after fires or river rescues.

“Pets usually wake earlier in the event of a house fire and make noise but sometimes you have a dog or a cat in a cage inside, which means they can’t get out," he said.

“In cases where animals were in respiratory distress arising out of smoke inhalation, we have used paediatric oxygen masks to help their recovery.

“We would give oxygen at the highest rate we could and hope that it would purge the toxins out. But now we have something that is specifically designed for animals, and we’d like to thank the donor and Albert for organising it."

He said it was also important to be able to give people reassurance that everything would be done to help their pet in the initial response to a fire, until they can get their animal or pet to a vet.

Mr Kleyn said this donation was made possible thanks to a donor who works at VMware in Ballincollig and Tipperary-based Duggan Veterinary.

Donnacha Duggan, a director of Duggan Veterinary, said they had been supplying the devices to the Irish market, most to the veterinary sector, for about a decade.

“We were delighted to be able to help. It’s another tool to help firefighters to be well prepared,” he said.

Mr Kleyn said for many, pets are like another member of the family.

“The animal could be your only companion, your only reason for getting up," he said.

"They feel hunger, pain, fear, like you and I do. Many of them would give their lives for you – what more could you ask?

Now, the fire service has the right equipment which could be the difference between life and death of a pet.” 

The Cork Animal Care Society is currently caring for about 120 animals at its sanctuary in West Cork.

You can email them at [e-mail].