Woman donates more than 7,500 pet oxygen masks after rescuing dog from wildfires

Debra Jo Chiapuzio worked as a medical tattoo artist for burn victims like firefighters before founding the nonprofit Emma Zen Foundation.

For decades, Chiapuzio had been teaching pet first aid and CPR in her spare time. She wanted the fire department in Anaheim to have special pet oxygen masks to protect dogs in her community like Emma Zen.

Oxygen masks for humans can’t properly fit over animal snouts, but pet oxygen masks have rubber seals with give and take to completely cover noses and mouths.

Chiapuzio donated 17 masks to the department and trained firefighters on how to use them. Thinking other fire stations could benefit, she created the nonprofit Emma Zen Foundation in 2011 and started reaching out to fire departments from home and on vacation — with the organization’s namesake by her side.

“I would go on vacation throughout our Western states and every time I saw a fire department, I’m stopping,” Chiapuzio recalled. “I’m pretty sure Emma has been in about 90% of the fire departments on the West Coast.”
Thanks to that legwork and donations ranging from individual donors and Girl Scout troops to the Annenberg Foundation, the Emma Zen Foundation has donated more than 7,500 pet oxygen masks to firefighters and first responders across America.

The masks have primarily saved dogs and cats, but they’ve also been used on miniature pigs, guinea pigs and an iguana.

Thanks to that legwork and donations ranging from individual donors and Girl Scout troops to the Annenberg Foundation, the Emma Zen Foundation has donated more than 7,500 pet oxygen masks to firefighters and first responders across America.

The masks have primarily saved dogs and cats, but they’ve also been used on miniature pigs, guinea pigs and an iguana.

For Donations to the Emma Zen Foundation, please click below:

https://www.emmazenfoundation.org

Source: NBC’s Today Show