A Shawnee girl with a love and concern for animals has worked hard this past month to raise money to purchase 12 sets of pet oxygen masks made for dogs, cats and other animals for donation to Shawnee area fire departments.
“I feel better our pets are going to be safe. If there’s a fire, they have a better chance of living,” said Alyssa Johnson, 12, a sixth-grader at Shawnee Middle School.
She and her grandmother, Nancy Spears, owner of Lake Road Pet Boarding, have been raising money for a cause that is close to both their hearts.
They saw a program on the Animal Planet network about pets involved in house fires and how the typical human oxygen masks don’t really work well to help them.
After the program, Spears called the Shawnee Fire Department and found out they don’t have masks for pets and it isn’t a budgeted item, so she and her granddaughter began the fundraising drive. Through setting out canisters at area veterinarian offices, pet boarding and grooming businesses, along with fundraisers at her school, Alyssa has raised $610.
Alyssa wants firefighters to have the pet masks ready on fire trucks in case they need to resuscitate an animal who might suffer smoke inhalation. Alyssa, who has her dogs, cats and birds, said the animals are more than just pets, they’re part of the family. And because animals have different snout sizes, human oxygen masks don’t work as well, she said.
Wednesday, Spears ordered 12 sets of the masks, which includes masks for small, medium and larger animals, with each set costing $55.
Spears said once they arrive, she and Alyssa plan to present three sets to the Shawnee Fire Department, two sets each to Tecumseh, Meeker, McLoud and Bethel Acres Fire Departments, and one to the Earlsboro Fire Department.
And while Alyssa had hoped to raised more funds to purchase masks for several other area departments, she’s not ready to give up yet and plans to keep raising money.
Spears said she’s very proud of Alyssa and her continuing efforts. Alyssa has helped with different fundraisers in the past and has even given her birthday money away to good causes.
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Kim Morava may be reached at 214-3962.
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A Shawnee girl with a love and concern for animals has worked hard this past month to raise money to purchase 12 sets of pet oxygen masks made for dogs, cats and other animals for donation to Shawnee area fire departments.
“I feel better our pets are going to be safe. If there’s a fire, they have a better chance of living,” said Alyssa Johnson, 12, a sixth-grader at Shawnee Middle School.
She and her grandmother, Nancy Spears, owner of Lake Road Pet Boarding, have been raising money for a cause that is close to both their hearts.
They saw a program on the Animal Planet network about pets involved in house fires and how the typical human oxygen masks don’t really work well to help them.
After the program, Spears called the Shawnee Fire Department and found out they don’t have masks for pets and it isn’t a budgeted item, so she and her granddaughter began the fundraising drive. Through setting out canisters at area veterinarian offices, pet boarding and grooming businesses, along with fundraisers at her school, Alyssa has raised $610.
Alyssa wants firefighters to have the pet masks ready on fire trucks in case they need to resuscitate an animal who might suffer smoke inhalation. Alyssa, who has her dogs, cats and birds, said the animals are more than just pets, they’re part of the family. And because animals have different snout sizes, human oxygen masks don’t work as well, she said.
Wednesday, Spears ordered 12 sets of the masks, which includes masks for small, medium and larger animals, with each set costing $55.
Spears said once they arrive, she and Alyssa plan to present three sets to the Shawnee Fire Department, two sets each to Tecumseh, Meeker, McLoud and Bethel Acres Fire Departments, and one to the Earlsboro Fire Department.
And while Alyssa had hoped to raised more funds to purchase masks for several other area departments, she’s not ready to give up yet and plans to keep raising money.
Spears said she’s very proud of Alyssa and her continuing efforts. Alyssa has helped with different fundraisers in the past and has even given her birthday money away to good causes.
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Kim Morava may be reached at 214-3962.
