Date: August 12th 2009

See below for press release sent out today! Photos and a copy of this press release are posted here: http://maydog.org/2009/08/maydog-donates-pet-oxygen-masks-to-maynard-fire-department/

MayDOG Donates Pet Oxygen Masks to Maynard Fire Department

August 12, 2009

MayDOG Media Contact:
Lisa Lines
978-331-0364
lisa@maydog.org

MAYNARD—Thanks to a donation from a member of the Maynard Dog Owners Group (MayDOG), pet owners in Maynard can breathe a little easier — and their pets can, too.

MayDOG president Lisa Lines and member Veronica Zolina presented a set of pet-sized oxygen masks to Chief Stephen Kulik of the Maynard Fire Department today. Although the Department already had one set of pet masks on its ambulance, this additional set will ensure that the engine company is also equipped to help dogs, cats, and other pets pulled from a burning building.

“We are always happy and grateful for any and all additional donations, as you never know when you will need them,” said Chief Kulik, who accepted the donation. The set contains three masks of different sizes, which can fit animals from a Saint Bernard down to a kitten.

Zolina and her husband own two greyhounds and a cat. She decided to donate the masks on behalf of MayDOG because of that group’s efforts to promote Maynard as a dog-friendly community. She said, “I want to be sure that all of Maynard’s pets, including my own, can receive lifesaving treatment in a fire if they need it. It was reassuring to learn that the Department is prepared to aid animals as well as people, because so many Maynard residents are pet owners too.”

“More than 40,000 pets across the country perished in fires in 2006, with the majority dying from smoke inhalation,” said Lines. “We hope that giving these masks to the Maynard Fire Department will raise awareness of the importance of emergency preparedness for rescue agencies and pet owners alike,” she said.

To learn more about MayDOG or make a donation, please visit www.maydog.org. To learn more about disaster preparedness, visit http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/disaster-preparedness/.

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Founded in 2008, the Maynard Dog Owners Group (MayDOG) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community organization. MayDOG’s mission is to promote responsible dog ownership and help build community through safe, legal off-leash recreation in Maynard, MA and the surrounding areas. MayDOG is working to create a fenced dog park in Maynard. Other activities include holding social events, sponsoring a walking group, organizing an annual “fun-raiser,” developing and distributing educational materials about responsible pet care, conducting workshops on training and dog behavior, promoting pet emergency preparedness and first aid programs, participating in town-wide clean-ups, promoting dog-friendly improvements to the town, and encouraging dog-friendly businesses. For more information, please visit www.maydog.org.


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