First pet rescue using pet oxygen mask

A pet oxygen mask has been used for the first time in Shropshire to revive a cat in a house fire.

Harriet, a 15-year-old tortoiseshell tabby, had fled to a bedroom as smoke from a kitchen fire filled the house in Diksmuide Drive, Ellesmere.

Householder Shelley Hall had managed to rescue her two dogs and a Chinchilla, before escaping from the blaze which is believed to have started when clothes were put onto an electric cooker plate – later turned on by the cat.

A total of eight firefighters from Ellesmere and a second appliance from Oswestry attended the scene after Shelley made the 999 call at 10.20pm on Monday night.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus put out the blaze which totally destroyed the kitchen before searching the smoke filled semi detached home to find the ailing cat in a bedroom.

Ellesmere Watch Manager Steve Moorhouse, said:

It was the first time that a specially designed oxygen mask had been used to save an animal in Shropshire.

A campaign was held earlier this year to raise funds to buy enough pet oxygen masks so that they are available for all 23 county fire stations.

Shelley (36), station manager at Shrewsbury railway station, who lived at the property with partner Steve Downes, said she believed the cat had slid down off the ironing pile and accidentally turned on the cooker:

Dogs, cats and other small animals including hamsters and pet birds caught up in fires were previously revived by firefighters using oxygen masks designed for humans.