Guy Auker probably had no idea that he’d one day be working alongside first responders in a collective effort to save animals’ lives.
But that’s exactly what happened last Thursday when Auker, a flight attendant trained in CPR, came upon a chaotic scene in front of a burning house in Scappoose, Oregon.
Human occupants had evacuated by the time first responders arrived, but three pets, two dogs and a cat, were still inside. Scappoose police officer, Eric Zwald, hurdled a fence and smashed a back room window, allowing smoke to escape. Shortly thereafter the two dogs were pulled from the home.
Zwald immediately gave the first dog, a Pitbull-mix, chest compressions while an Oregon State trooper administered oxygen. As they battled the fire, Scappoose firefighters, trained in pet CPR, instructed police and troopers on the technique. By this time, a second, smaller dog had been rescued. Auker, who was driving home from work, stopped and sprang into action.
“What was going through my head was that these animals need help,” Auker told local NBC affiliate, KGW News.
“As the officer was doing chest compressions, I was doing rescue breaths,” Auker told local ABC affiliate, KATU News. “I was going mouth-to-muzzle on this little dog.”
Sadly, the Pitbull-mix died from smoke inhalation. The smaller dog, who was given CPR with Auker’s help, was revived and reportedly taken to a veterinary hospital where he is recovering.
Zwald expressed gratitude that at least one of the dogs survived. “Seeing the other animal perk up, breathing and reunited with its owner again, it was a silver lining at the end.”
Auker said he learned pet CPR on YouTube and that his background in human CPR paved the way. He urged others to learn pet CPR.
Unfortunately, the family’s cat remains missing. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Success rates for pet CPR are somewhat variable and depend on the circumstances. The procedure done on an aging animal with multiple medical issues and who is in an acute state of ill health may be far less successful than one done on a younger animal rescued from a house fire or water accident. Success rates in the veterinary hospital setting range from 6-8 percent (for cardiac arrests) up to 50 percent (for anesthetic-related arrests). In this setting the cost of pet CPR ranges from $200-$300. Success rates are not available for pet CPR performed in the field.
Depending on the circumstances, many pet parents would be all-in for pet CPR, whatever the cost or the odds.