Re: 911:: question what is your procedure on Pet not breathing calls?

[Guest guest]

we give them an emergency number and be done with it...

Jim in Ohio

>

>Reply-To: 911consoleegroups

>To: 911consoleegroups

>Subject: 911:: question what is your procedure on Pet not breathing calls?

>Date: Mon, 7 Aug 2000 06:58:09 -0700

>

>question

>what is your procedure on Pet not breathing calls?

>do you tell to call their vet? do you tell them the abc? do you respond

>rescue equipment?

>do you tell not to call 911 next time? since you only deal with humans?

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[Guest guest]

I thought we were the only agency that received this call once. Happened about

three months ago to my partner I was working with.

We don't have a " procedure " for handling this type of call, but my partner

did a fantastic job (Way to go Angie!!!). The caller was absolutely hysterical

and we thought it was her child or baby choking and not breathing. After some

quick questions by my partner, we found out it her purebred, registered....some

type of expensive dog that was choking on food.

My partner went right into her EMD mode and went to the CPR questions just

like she would an adult. " Is he breathing? " " Do you see his chest rising and

falling? " ....nothing different other than some minor changes.

We did not respond any ambulance/fire department.....I'm sure that would be

a definite no-no in our area. After the lady calmed down a little, she reached

in the throat of her dog and dislodged the food. The dog started breathing

again. She was very thankful and my partner recommended she call her vet to see

if the vet wanted to check him out. We did not tell her not to call 9-1-1 again

because to that poor woman....this was her baby...and was a true emergency. We

are a smaller agency, so we have the time and resources to devote a few minutes

to help this kind of call and do what we can. Larger agencies....I'm

sure....wouldn't be able to do this. BUT...talk about good Public Relations!!!!

--------------------------------------------------------------

Cain

9-1-1 Dispatcher/Training Officer

Randolph County Communications

155 E. South Street

Winchester, Indiana 47394

mcain@...

[Guest guest]

My Grandmother called about her cat one time and no one would respond. The

cat was stuck under her electric chair and was yelling. My Grandmother is in

her 70's and was really upset. She even told the dispatcher that they may

have to come for her if they wouldn't come for the cat. She thought she was

going to have a heart attack herself. But they would not send anybody. I wish

they would have. It turns out the cat was stuck but finally worked it's way

out.

Tammy

[Guest guest]

I would first like to say " good job " to matthew and angie. I believe non-human

emergencies are many times overlooked as true emergencies. While they obviously

should take a back seat to true human-related emergencies, these are living

breathing beings that are very much a part of our civilizations families. Not

too long ago, two or three months maybe, near the end of my shift, I took a call

from a family that was very new to the area. The family German Sheppard

swallowed a tennis ball. He was not choking, but his airway was compromised, I

could hear the dog in the background, breathing hard, something like a croup

cough. She contacted several area vets, they all said they would see him if they

could

bring him to the office, but none of them would respond to her house. They had

no transportation at the time. I was only 30 minutes or so away from shift end,

I told her I would come out and take the dog to a vet as soon as I was done

work. When I got there, the dog was lying on the floor, having a very hard time.

I could see the lump in the throat of the animal. The dog was not very keen

on my presence, and I figured trying to get the animal in my truck would be a

fight. I spent about 20 minutes warming up to the dog, he eventually let me near

him, then pet him, he trusted me after a while. With a neighbor holding his head

and jaws, I reached in and grabbed the ball. To tell you the truth, I was more

concerned about the damage I may cause over the dog biting me. It worked. The

dog is fine.

The incident made me realize that there isn't really an emergency network

for cats or dogs, your pretty much at the mercy of a vets schedule. But I take

comfort in knowing that there are many local volunteer ems and rescue personnel

in my area that would gladly respond to these types of calls. Most people have

dogs or cats and can relate to the terror. I know I do.

Good job to all who are willing to take these calls seriously.

J. Fred Ayars

Salem County NJ

Cain wrote:

> We are a smaller agency, so we have the time and resources to devote a few

minutes to help this kind of call and do what we can. Larger agencies....I'm

sure....wouldn't be able to do this. BUT...talk about good Public Relations!!!!

>

> --------------------------------------------------------------

> Cain

> 9-1-1 Dispatcher/Training Officer

> Randolph County Communications

> 155 E. South Street

> Winchester, Indiana 47394

> mcain@...

[Guest guest]

We tell them to call the emergency vet that's open 24 hrs a day.

We do not send rescue equipment, because the dept's we dispatch for have told

us they will not respond.

We will not give them the instructions either, because that phone that is

ringing could be a citizen that is not breathing.

We have more 911 lines than we have dispatcher's on duty.

Larry Tormey

Supervisor

Sedgwick County 911

Wichita, Ks

e-mail: Ltormey@...

(not necessary the views of my Comm Center)

[Guest guest]

Another Bravo here!! As I have said before, I know some canines that

deserve to live just a leetle more than some people I know. Good on you, J.

Fred, for saving what was probably a loving companion and good friend.

(Sadee says so too)

Lyn

magik@...

Re: 911:: question what is your procedure on Pet not breathing

calls?

With a neighbor holding his head and jaws, I reached in and grabbed the

ball. To tell you the truth, I was more concerned about the damage I may

cause over the dog biting me. It worked. The dog is fine.

[Guest guest]

<< And of course one of the local

firefighters happens to walk in while I am standing in the vets office in my

T-shirt and underwear. >>

AHhhhhhh.. now we know why Sara went to a new agency!!!!!

Way to go, would have done the same for one of my " kids " .

Kathy

[Guest guest]

While this is not a pet not breathing call, it is pet related. Several

months ago one of our fire agencies attempted to help rescue a beloved lab

that fell through the ice of the family's pond. A fifteen year old boy did

manage to rescue one of the dogs, he went out on the ice, broke it open

himself and pulled the dog to safety. I am not sure if they called 9-1-1 or

not...I think Anne was working that day and can probably provide more

details. But the fire department did respond to a call to the house. They

attempted to rescue the other dog but were unsuccessful. And I am sure that

the fifteen year old got a look over by the medics after jumping in the

freezing water. The really sad part is that the dog he saved was a

neighbors, his dog is the one that drowned.

And I have to agree with Fred on this one, I am glad to see other people

making an attempt to help on these type of calls. And Fred what you did is

really above the call of duty, a pat on the back to you also.

I know my 2 dogs and cat are a part of my family. If something happened to

them I wouldn't be the same. I had a close call a few months ago. Ended up

being one of my more embarassing moments that I still get teased about at

work. I had let my boxer, Jake, outside to go to the bathroom. It was

early in the morning and I had just woke up. All I had on was a t-shirt

that I wore to bed. My dog started barking and ran towards the front of the

house. I chased after him and yelled at him to stop, there was a lady

across the street that he was determined to chase. Jake stopped for half a

second looked at me, then darted in the street. I could see the mini van

coming very fast. It whacked Jake upside the head and continued on. I was

hysterical. I ran into the street oblivious to anything else, didn't even

look for more cars. I screamed for help. Jake was knocked out with his

eyes open and they were glazed over. I was sure he was dying in front of my

eyes. Both neighbors came runnning to help me. Mental picture here I am

4'11 " , 125 lbs in my T-shirt in the middle of the street. My dog is about

45 pounds, 8 months old not yet full grown. I picked up this 45 pound

knocked out dead weight dog and started running towards my neighbor at warp

speed. My neighbor is a man that I barely know, when I picked up my dog it

hiked up my T-shirt exposing my underwear. I jumped in his car and he took

me to the vet down the street. By the time we got there Jake was coming

around. The vet checked him over, while my very nice neighbor went to my

house and got me a pair of pants to put on. And of course one of the local

firefighters happens to walk in while I am standing in the vets office in my

T-shirt and underwear. Rather a hard event to live down.....but my dog is

okay with no lasting effects and that is more important to me than anything

else. Thank god for nice neighbors.

Sara Winfield

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