Santa Monica fire fighters who rescued a dog from a burning apartment building and then revived her using a special oxygen mask have received the Compassionate Fire Department Award from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA.
"Santa Monica's fire fighters are truly heroes because they don't consider their job done until all residents — both human and non-human — have made it to safety," said PETA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch in a news release issued Tuesday. "PETA hopes the compassion and know-how shown by these firefighters will inspire others always to come to the aid of animals in need."
Fire fighters responded to an apartment fire Saturday at the corner of Second and Hill streets where neighbors told them that a dog was inside an apartment that was on fire. The fire fighters found the dog, named Stella, hiding behind a couch and rushed her outside where they placed the oxygen mask over her mouth. Stella soon regained consciousness and was taken to an animal hospital. She was expected to make a full recovery.
PETA encourages all those who have pets to place a sign on doors or windows to alert rescue workers to the presence of dogs and cats. People can order stickers from the PETA catalog or make their own at home.
The SMFD will received a framed certificate, a letter of appreciation and a box of vegan chocolates from PETA, a spokesperson for the organization said.
For more information on PETA, visit peta.org.
The cause of the fire was still under investigation Tuesday. An official with the fire department said the cause could be electrical.
