Are Your Pets Protected From Fire/Carbon Monoxide When You Are Away From Home?

I recently heard a story of where a family and their pets died from carbon monoxide poisoning, which has prompted me to write this story.

As you go about your daily life, have you ever thought what would happened if a fire broke out in your home or apartment while you were away? And your beloved pet is home alone. While I am sure most of you reading this have protection for your family and pets…there are some that don’t.

Not everyone can afford or choose to have the paid emergency system linked to the fire department. However, you can install the wireless smoke/carbon monoxide detectors. Did you know that some fire departments will come to you home and install them for free? You can call your local fire department to see if they offer this free service.

The advantage of having a smoke/carbon monoxide detector is that maybe a neighbor,or someone passing by will hear it when it goes off, and can get help to your home or apartment.

There are all types of smoke/carbon monoxide detectors, in several price ranges. May I suggest the Pet Emergency Stickers for your doors in the event of an emergency at your home or apartment while you are away, this will notify emergency responders of any pets that you have inside. This will prompt them to look for your pet and know what type of animal they are looking for.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says, Carbon monoxide, or CO, is an odorless, colorless gas that can cause sudden illness and death.

Remember to change the batteries in your alarms!

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Photos: Pets, Owners Reunited Following Deadly and Destructive Camp Fire

The Camp Fire, the most deadly and destructive wildfire in California history, has destroyed hundreds of homes, put thousands of lives at risk and separated pets from their owners.

People have been using social media to look for and share images of their lost animals in hopes of finding them, and it's working. 

Lost animals following Camp Fire

To take a look at the animals, click here: Photos: Pets, Owners Reunited Following Deadly and Destructive Camp Fire

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Shirtless Firefighters Pose With Pups For 2019 Australian Firefighters Calendar

What could be hotter than shirtless firefighters with dogs? Shirtless firefighters raising money for charity with dogs!

The 2019 Australian Firefighters Dog Calendar is ready to grace your wall with 11 beefy firemen and their adorable, fuzzy, canine companions! Not only will you get 12 months of super cute canines and foxy firemen, but you’ll also be helping multiple charities that support cancer research and animals!

To read more on this story, click here: Shirtless Firefighters Pose With 



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July is National Pet Fire Safety Month

Did you know more than 40,000 pets die each year in house fires and that 1,000 dogs cause fires every year? As the summer heats up, so too does the danger of fire. Here are some tips to keep both you and your dog safe.

How Pets Start Fires

Candles create a beautiful glow, but can be a fire hazard as your dog or cat knocks them off a table. Now they make flameless candles, which are just a pretty as the real ones … plus they are less messy! Pets are curious so be careful of them approaching fireplaces as well.

Do not let your dog or cat chew electrical cords. Be careful of crock pots that can be tipped over while you are away from home and your pet is alone.

Believe it or not, many dogs and cats have managed to turn on a stove or range with their tails! Consider stove top covers like the kind used to baby proof your home.

Puppies can often chew through cords and start electrical fires. You may want to keep your puppy in a crate while you are gone during the day to keep him out of mischief.

Beware of water bowls on wooden decks. The hot rays of the sun, when filtered through a glass water bowl can actually ignite the wooden deck.

To read more on this story, click here: July is National Pet Fire Safety Month


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MPD Officer Douglas Berlin Presented ‘Humane Hero Award’ by Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League

Washington, DC - The Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League presented Metropolitan Police Officer Douglas Berlin for his dedicated and compassionate actions during a fire at an apartment building in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday.   Berlin was presented the award at a ceremony at the 3rd District Police Station on Wednesday by WHS-WARL President and CEO Lisa LaFontaine.

On Tuesday during a fire in an apartment building at 11th and Rhode Island Avenue, Berlin went to great lengths to save a small dog fleeing the burning building.  The 11 year-old Rat Terrier named “Lucy” was suffering from serious burns when she was fleeing the scene through busy traffic.

“Officer Berlin’s dedication to the care and safety of this dog is a shining example of what we strive to do every day – make a difference in the lives of the animals and the people we serve,” said LaFontaine.  “Officer Berlin put himself in harm’s way for to save Lucy’s life and that exemplifies what this award is all about.  He is a hero to Lucy and her family, to our organization and to the people of the District of Columbia.”

Officer Berlin arrived at the scene of the burning apartment building at the same time Lucy was seen running from the burning building.  Berlin realized the dog was suffering serious burn wounds and chased the dog in and out of traffic for several blocks to safely secure her.  Once Lucy was secured, a paramedic on scene transported Berlin and Lucy to City Paws veterinary clinic for treatment.

Lucy has been reunited with her owner and is currently recovering from her burns.

About Washington Animal Rescue League/Washington Humane Society (WARL-WHS)
The Washington Humane Society -Washington Animal Rescue League combined organization cares for more than 60,000 animals annually. The broad range of programs offered include: rescue and adoption, humane law enforcement, low-cost veterinary services, animal care & control, behavior and training, spay-neuter services, humane education, and many others.  Operating four animal-care facilities in Washington, D.C., the organization occupies a significant footprint in the District, and serves as a resource to current pet guardians and prospective adopters across the region.

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A D.C. Police Officer Received an Award from the Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League for Helping a dog who Escaped From an Apartment Fire

Washington, DC - As an apartment building fire sent a cloud of black smoke over D.C. Tuesday afternoon, a small dog was able to make a fast escape.

Lucy, an 11-year-old rat terrier, was inside a home on the 1300 block of 12th Street NW when the building caught fire. A Metropolitan Police Department officer was able to save her after he spotted the dog running from the building with burns.

Officer Douglas Berlin was making sure residents got out of buildings safely when he saw Lucy, who's black-and-white with big black ears, tear down the block.

"As I was coming down the stairs from one of the adjoining units, I saw Lucy take off, running down the street, and it looked like she had burns on her hindquarters, and her paws looked to be pretty bloody, so I gave chase," Berlin said Wednesday afternoon at a news conference.

He and a man with a skateboard dodged in and out of traffic for blocks to try to catch Lucy, said Berlin, who described himself as a dog-lover.

"I thought at one point she was going to get hit because she ran underneath a car," he said. "Fortunately, she came out on the other side of the median and didn't skip a beat."

Finally, the officer was able to catch the 13-pound dog. Berlin and others used water and ice to try to cool her down and rushed her to a nearby veterinarian. There, vets disinfected her paws and gave her painkillers and an IV.

Lucy was discharged from the vet on Wednesday, according to Berlin, who said he had exchanged texts with her owner.

"She's a fighter. She runs like she's 2. She gave me a good run for my money last night," Berlin said, laughing.

Three firefighters were hurt battling the blaze and 12 residents were displaced, including the family that owns Lucy, the head of the Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League said. She thanked Berlin for his help and presented him with the Humane Hero Award.

“What Officer Berlin did yesterday was above and beyond the call of duty,” CEO Lisa LaFontaine said. "A family that lost everything yesterday will at least have their family complete today because Lucy survived and that would likely have been a different outcome without Officer Berlin."

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Indonesia: Fire Deliberately Started, Killed Three Female Orangutans, to Clear the Land for Farming

These are the horrific pictures of three female orangutans who were killed in a land fire in Indonesia.

The orangutans, two, twenty-year-olds and a baby orangutan approximately one year old, were caught in the blaze near a protected forest in Bontang City, East Kalimantan.

The founder of the Centre for Orangutan Protection, Hardi Baktiantoro, claims the forest fire was deliberately started to clear the land for farming.

“It is completely illegal to clear forest land by burning it, and in this case the land that was burnt still had three orangutans living there,” he said.

After investigating the death of the orangutans, a team of officers from the Kutai National Park and the Bontang city police buried the three orangutans.

'The bodies of the orangutans were decayed so we buried them soon after the investigation to prevent them from spreading disease,' the head of the Kutai National Park Office, Erly Sukrismanto, said.

The body of the orangutans were discovered after a resident posted a picture of them on Facebook.

Professional photojournalist Yuli Seperi said, “I saw a friend post a status on Facebook about the deaths so I went the location where the three orangutans were.

The deaths made me extremely upset as orangutans are a huge icon to Indonesia.”

The forest fires are claimed to have started around 2:30 p.m., Saturday, February 20.

The founder of the Centre for Orangutan Protection said, “It is not clear why the three orangutans could not escape the fire as they usually can. Perhaps they were afraid of the humans that surrounded the fragmented forest.

The three dead are believed to be a family of all females, two twenty year olds and one baby orangutan around the age of one.”

Officers evacuate the three Orangutan killed by a forest fire at a protected forest on Belimbing village, Indonesia.

The founder of the Centre for Orangutan Protection, Hardi Baktiantoro, claims the forest fire was deliberately started to clear the land for farming.

A team of officers buried the bodies of the three female orangutans to prevent them from spreading disease.

The body of the orangutans were discovered after a resident posted a picture of them on Facebook.

Professional photographer Yuli Seperi said, “The deaths made me extremely upset as orangutans are a huge icon to Indonesia.”

The charred bodies of the orangutan were found in a protected forest in Bontang.

The founder of the Centre for Orangutan Protection said it is not clear why the three orangutans could not escape the fire as they usually can.

The three dead are believed to be a family of all females, two, twenty-year-olds and one baby orangutan approximately one year old.

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A Woman Who Was Protected by Her Pit Bull After a House Fire Early December is Being Charged for an Arson

Landover Hills, Maryland - A woman who was protected by her pit bull after a house fire early December is being charged for an arson that happened on the previous day, Prince George's County Fire Department said.

The woman is being charged with multiple crimes in connection with the December 2 fire that happened in the 4800 block of 66th Place in Landover Hills.

A man was transported for minor burn injuries and then released from the burn unit. The woman was also taken to the hospital for a medical evaluation. Officials later learned of an unreported fire that happened the day before on December 1.

The unreported fire that happened on December 1 was an arson in an occupied home.

The 34-year-old woman, April Newell was determined to be the suspect. She is being
charged with arson first degree, arson second degree, arson threat, malicious burning first degree and malicious burning second degree.

She was arrested on December 31 and is being held on a $500,000 bond.

According to the authorities, the first that happened the following day, on December 2 is still being investigated.

Related: Loyal Pit Bull Who Refused to Leave Unconscious Owner’s Side After Fire, Finds a New Home

Related: Remember Precious, the Dog that Stood Guard OverHer Injured Owner During House Fire? She is Up for Adoption: Please Share Her Story 

  

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Hyattsville, Maryland - From Rescue to Beloved Mascot: Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department’s Hailey, an Adorable Rottweiler Passes Away

The members of the Hyattsville VFD are in mourning over the loss of our beloved mascot Hailey, who passed away peacefully Friday, January 1 after a brief battle with cancer. She was just six years old.

Hailey came to the HVFD in April 2010 from the Washington Animal Rescue League — rescued along with her Rottweiler sisters, Rylie and Lilla, from a dangerous situation in Washington, D.C. They were found with an owner who placed heavy rubber bands around their limbs and necks, which began to cause further harm as they grew. When Hailey was adopted by the HVFD she still had a scar around her neck from where the rubber band had become embedded.

Her sister Rylie, who paid a final visit to Hailey a few weeks ago, had one of her front legs amputated as a result of the abuse.

Hailey moved into the firehouse at just about 16 weeks old and quickly became popular and beloved not only by our members but also all those visited, joining her predecessors Chile and Clyde as a friendly, loveable mascot for our department.

Notorious for chasing her own shadow and nicknamed “Hailey Lazydog” by those who loved her, Hailey was a fixture at the firehouse for the hundreds of volunteers, career staff and visitors who have come through our doors since 2010. Hailey was also a staple of our Open House and other public events.

To read more on this story, click here: From Rescue toBeloved Mascot: HVFD’s Hailey Passes Away

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Woman With No Family Looses Everything in House Fire: Needs Donations for Help with Vet Bills for Pets Burned in Fire

Sharing from: For The Love Of Alex Inc.

Massachusetts: A terrifying nightmare in the early hours of Thanksgiving morning as an apartment building caught fire and residents had to flee for their lives. In the ensuing horror, resident Katy lost all sight of her two beloved kitties Mister and Gus.

The building was destroyed in the fast moving blaze, and Katy, losing everything, feared she had lost the loves of her life as well. In the hours and days that followed Katy posted and searched tirelessly for any sign of Gus and Mister. She soon learned that Mister, her 9 year old Russian Blue mix, had been found by nearby neighbors, terribly burned, and taken to a local vet clinic.

Katy rushed to the clinic only to find her sweet Mister lying suffering with no help. She whisked him away to a different hospital, where surgery was performed. Katy was able to find a little help locally for Mister, but sadly not nearly enough. And as Mister struggles now with infection, more procedures needed, and a lot of long-term care and pain management needed, Katy is $1000 in the hole with the hospital, only a few dollars to her name and denied credit, and desperately needs our help to assure Mister the life-saving care he needs.

We spoke with the hospital, they have agreed to keep Mister in for another week.. on the condition we overnight $2100 for his past due bill and current estimate. I said of course we will. Now I need your help to make good on that promise.

Beyond that, Gus was never found. In a few moments I will do a separate post for Gus. I wish for Katy so much that we would find Gus. He may be out there, he may be badly injured and suffering. We need to know, and to help him if we can.

Lastly, this young lady has lost everything and has no family. Gus and Mister are her family. And it's Christmas. We would like to raise enough funds to give Katy a generous gift card from both Macy's and WalMart so that she can replace just a few of the personal items so badly needed, and know that there are many good people in this world who care when others suffer, and reach out to help.

Please help us give Katy, Mister, (and paws crossed very, very tightly, Gus), an Alex's Angel Christmas.

Please help Mister with any donation possible at http://fortheloveofalex.org/donate.html. Please type Mister in the Referred By box (if using our secure Acceptiva major credit cards/echeck page) or in the Note/Message to Seller Box (PayPal). Depending on the payment method, Paypal also asks the pet's name on the donation review page after you enter all your info.

The address for mailed donations is also at the link. Thank you so much for your helping Mister and Katy. For The Love Of Alex Inc is an all volunteer, 501c3 organization, helping pets in urgent need of veterinary care and the families who love them.

About: For The Love Of Alex Inc.

For The Love Of Alex Inc. is a nonprofit corp dedicated to funding charitable, life-saving veterinary care for pets in need whose families cannot afford the care. With the help of kind donors like you, we save precious lives & un-break families' hearts.

Website: For The Love Of Alex Inc.

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Loyal Pit Bull Who Refused to Leave Unconscious Owner’s Side After Fire, Finds a New Home

Precious the pit bull was hailed as a hero after footage of her standing guard over her injured owner after a house fire went viral.

The loyal dog refused to leave its best friend's side after a blaze broke out early Wednesday at their home in Landover Hills, Maryland.

Blind homeowner Jimmy Newell, 65, and his daughter, sustained burns and suffered smoke inhalation in the fire.

His daughter managed to escape but fell unconscious on the grass outside the house where the dog stood guard.

Precious was so protective firefighters were eventually forced to scare her away with an extinguisher so they could treat her owner.

Both the woman and her father were rushed to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Despite her loyal watch guard, Precious and her puppy Molly were then seized by animal control and sent to a shelter.

Officials told the heartbroken owner that she would not be able to get her dogs back because of the county's ban on the pit bull breed. 

“I thought it would be with me until the day I die,” said Newell to New York Daily News. “Everything is changed.”

“It's sad. I love that dog,” said the owner's son Wednesday.

“Our hearts are broken for this family because these dogs cannot be returned to the people they know and love and who love them back. This shouldn't be happening in America,” the executive director of the Maryland Dog Federation, Adrienne Lefkowitz, told The Inquisitor.

But now it seems there is a happy ending for Precious and her puppy after the owner's sister Megan Sanchez, who lives in Montgomery County, agreed to take the pets.

“She just wanted to protect her mommy; that's all,” Sanchez told NBC Washington. “And her house.”

Sanchez, who works with animals and has a dog of her own, said her sister and family is welcome to come and visit their pets whenever they want.

“I'm glad they survived,” she said. “We're animal people.”

Another dog, of a different breed was also rescued from the home during the fire along with two turtles. The dog has now been returned to the family as it is not a pit bull.

Pitbulls have been banned in Prince George’s County since 1997.

Fire officials are still investigating the cause of the fire which is believed to have begun in a bedroom. None of the home's smoke detectors had been working at the time.  

This dog was seen standing guard over his severely injured owner as he lay outside his burning home in Landover Hills, Maryland, on Wednesday as firefighters battled the blaze and extracted other animals.

Here, firefighters are seen dealing with the building after dropping powder extinguisher on the blaze.

Fire officials are still investigating the cause of the fire which is believed to have begun in a bedroom.

Fire fighters who arrived at the blaze in Landover Hills, Maryland, on Wednesday were able to distinguish the flames and also save another dog inside the house and two turtles.

  

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A Dog Belonging to the Victim of a House Fire Stood Guard Over His Injured Owner: Fire Officials Say the Man is Expected to be Okay

A dog belonging to the victim of a house fire stood guard over his injured owner while firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze Wednesday morning.

Fire crews were called to the home in Landover Hill, Maryland, early Wednesday morning. Firefighters say they had trouble getting to one of the two people injured in the fire because the man's dog was standing over him.

Firefighters tried to call the dog away from the man, but the loyal pooch wouldn't budge. Firefighters eventually deployed a powder fire extinguisher in the direction of the dog, giving them time to get the man out of the house. 

The dog was never aggressive towards the firefighters, Mark Brady, a spokesman for the fire department, said.

Even after firefighters removed the man from the home, the dog could be seen sitting next to his injured owner.

The victim's son says his father is expected to be okay. The man's adult daughter also suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

A dog, two turtles and several puppies inside the home were removed safely. Animal control officers took the animals from the scene.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Fire officials do not believe the home had smoke detectors.

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Woman Says After Her Home Caught Fire, The Insurance Company is Refusing to Pay Her Claim, Because She Owns A Pit Bull

East Rockaway, NY - A woman says after her home caught fire, she contacted Adirondack Insurance, who is refusing to pay her claim.

Their reason…she owns a pit bull.

Mary Grace O'Brien, lives on Lawrence Street, with her three children and multiple pets.

In October, her dryer caught fire, and gutted the entire house. The family has been living with a friend.

The insurance company says that they were unaware that she owned a pit bull. She claims they never asked about any of her six pets.

"They produced a letter with a signature on the bottom," O'Brien says. "I had never seen it before and it said I have no pets. I have cats and I have dogs. I would never say that I have no pets. Nobody ever asked me."

Adirondack Insurance says pit bulls are on their list of prohibited dogs listed on their guidelines.

A broker from Sidakas Insurance Agency in Queens sold O'Brien the policy. She believes they lifted her signature from another document and put it on the application in question.

The insurance company is refusing to make a statement.

She is now filing a lawsuit against both Insurance companies.

What are your thoughts?

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Watch This Firefighter Save Dog From Fire, Revive Pup Using Human Oxygen Mask (Video)

This firefighter understands that any life -- no matter the species -- is a life worth saving.

Last Thursday, firefighters responded to a burning home in Virginia, rescuing the woman inside the house, CBS6 reported. The emergency responders didn't forget her furry companion, Keiser, and carried the dog out of the home as well. Though the canine made no movement and it appeared as though he wasn't going to survive, firefighter Josh Moore and paramedic Bubby Bish decided to make a last-ditch attempt to save the pet.

Moore strapped an adult mask to its snout, administered large amounts of oxygen to the pup, and successfully saved the pup.

To read more on this story, click here: Watch This Firefighter Save Dog From Fire, Revive Pup Using Human Oxygen Mask (Video) FOLLOW US!

L.A. Firefighter and Mom Attack Lady Who Feeds Stray Cats

Ian Eulian and his mom, Lonieta Fontaine, face assault and battery charges after allegedly beating Rebecca Stafford unconscious for feeding stray cats in the neighborhood.

"He said, the cats were pooping in his backyard and that they attacked his dog,” cat lady Rebecca Stafford told ABC 7. “It got hostile, and then I got punched and knocked out.”

Ian Eulian, 37, and his mother, Lonieta Fontaine, are now on trial, accused of felony assault and battery in the Sept. 14, 2013 attack. The video is expected to be a key piece of evidence, KTLA 5 reported.

Defense Attorneys claim Stafford started the fight, throwing bits of cat food in Eulian’s face before he clocked her.

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Prince George's County Animal Shelter Participated in a Mock Disaster Exercise, Along with County Police, Fire, Homeland Security, Social Services, and The Red Cross

Last Friday, the Prince George's Animal Management Division staff and volunteers participated in a mock Disaster Exercise, along with County Police, Fire, Homeland Security, Social Services, Red Cross and other entities in a simulation of a flood occurring in two areas of the County.

Two human shelters were set up at Dr. Henry A. Wise, Jr. High School, along with two Animal Shelters to house their furry loved ones. What an incredible way to prepare for the unthinkable!

We can't forget those who worked in the field during the mock disaster exercise, standing by to retrieve (stuffed) animals from those victims boarding the busses to head to the shelter at Dr. Henry A. Wise, Jr. High School. Shown below are Cate, Ebonie and Victoria and on the right is Simone, who did intake on the animals brought to the temporary shelters.

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Meet Ace, The Hero Pit Bull Who Saved His Deaf Owner, a 13-Year-Old Boy, During a Devastating House Fire

A 2-year-old male pit bull named Ace was being hailed as a hero Wednesday afternoon, after waking his deaf owner during a devastating house fire on the Southeastside.

At 1:11 p.m., Indianapolis firefighters were called to fight a fire at a home in the 6400 block of Perry Pines Court, officials said. Upon their arrival, flames were shooting from the garage.

Officials said Nick Lamb, 13, who is deaf, was sleeping in the house at the time. Ace was able to alert Nick and awaken him by licking his face.

"He was thankful that Ace entered his room and licked his face until he woke up," Indianapolis Fire Department Capt. Rita Reith said in a news release. "The boy quickly covered his nose and mouth with his T-shirt and exited the rear of the house."

Lamb said he was taught at school about covering his face and finding the nearest exit. Without his shoes but with Ace by his side, he darted out of the back door before calling his mother and 911.

"I couldn't hear anything because I had my cochlear implants off. ... My dog Ace smelled it," Lamb said. "I just wanted to get out."

The fire-blackened home had $175,000 in damage. But Ace and Lamb made it out safely. No one else was home when the fire started.

Lindsay Bernard, Lamb's mother, says she rushed home from work after getting the call. Her mind was racing throughout the trip.

"I went into a little bit of a panic," she said. "When I got here ... the streets were covered. It was mainly just panic and chaos."

Reith added that the family's black cat named Pixie was located by a firefighter inside the home and appears to be OK.

Bernard said Pixie inhaled a bit of smoke, and will be spending the night at the vet.

"(Lamb) told firefighters that this was the first summer he was old enough to stay home alone and was excited to have reached that milestone," Reith said. "He had just returned from summer camp on Sunday."

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, Reith said. The homeowners believe that it was electrical and originated in the garage.

This 2-year-old pit bull named Ace is being credited with saving his 13-year-old owner from a fire Wednesday in Indianapolis. Ace woke the boy, who is deaf, by licking his face.
(Photo: Provided by the Indianapolis Fire Department. )

This home in the home in the 6400 block of Perry Pines Court was engulfed in the fire at 1:11 p.m. Wednesday, July 16, 2014.(Photo: Indianapolis Fire Department)

Video:

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