Fire Safety Month Goes to the Dogs (and Cats)

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of "October is National Fire Safety Month," Petplan pet insurance and Wag'N Enterprises pet safety gear are joining forces to offer free rescue window alerts for dogs and cats. Petplan offers the only window alerts that can be customized to feature a loved pet's photo, name, and potential hiding spots to help expedite rescue. For every 100 pet rescue alerts created during the months of October and November, a pet oxygen mask kit will be donated to a U.S. fire department.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100928/PH72791 )

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100928/PH72791 )

According to the National Volunteer Fire Council, an estimated 500,000 pets are affected by home fires each year. Motivated by fire-related injury claims, Petplan launched their pet rescue window alert campaign in 2008 to help save more pets in emergencies.

"Pets often hide during fires. Knowing the pet's name or where they might be located can be helpful. Pet rescue alerts need to be kept up to date for the safety of family pets and our firefighters," cautions Lt. Kevin Grogan of the Eastchester Fire Department in New York.

Locating a pet in a fire is only the first step. Saving the pet's life is another.

"Pet oxygen masks are crucial at the scene of a fire to prevent the harmful effects of smoke inhalation. The access to oxygen can mean the difference of life and death for a pet," advises Dr. Ernie Ward of Seaside Animal Care in North Carolina.

Most fire stations are not equipped with pet oxygen masks to assist animals in medical distress. Chanel, a Yorkshire terrier, barely survived smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning from a house fire in Pennsylvania. A pet insurance subscriber, Chanel's guardian was reimbursed over $1,100 for her emergency veterinary care by Petplan.

To keep pets safe, free personalized pet rescue alerts are available on Petplan's webpage (http://www.GoPetplan.com/firesafety). The number of Wag'N Oxygen Mask Kits donated to fire departments will be based on the number of uploaded photos during the national campaign running October 1^st - November 30^th.

About Petplan

Petplan is America's #1 rated pet insurance company, offering comprehensive accident and illness health insurance for dogs and cats. Petplan offers simple, customizable policies to meet any coverage requirements and budget and is the only pet health insurance provider to cover all hereditary and congenital conditions for the life of the pet without dollar limits per condition. For more information, visit http://www.GoPetplan.com or call 1-866-467-3875.

About Wag'N Enterprises

Wag'N Enterprises offers pet parents and first responders the necessary gear, supplies and training to prepare for and respond to emergencies that impact pet health and safety. Visit http://www.wagn4u.com/ or call 703-787-WAGN.

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.

Dr. Jules Benson | http://www.profnetconnect.com/julesbenson

SOURCE Petplan