It is a firefighter’s job to save lives, but some of them go to great lengths to rescue both human and four-legged victims of fires, floods, and other emergencies. During the past year, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has recognized several of these “angels” for animals with its “Compassionate Firefighter” Awards. Recent recipients of the award include the following:
- Tony Padilla of the Denver Fire Department’s water-rescue team. Last week Padilla broke through chunks of ice to rescue a dog who had fallen through a frozen lake.
- Division Chief Dale Lyman of the Union Colony Fire/Rescue Authority in Greeley, Colo. Lyman’s team of firefighters crawled onto an ice-covered pond to rescue a dog stranded in freezing water.
- Detroit Engine Company 49 firefighter Matt Schaecher, who responds to emergency calls involving imperiled animals on an almost weekly basis and has equipped his fire engine with animal rescue gear. Schaecher also traveled to New Orleans to rescue cats and dogs left behind in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
“Firefighters put their lives on the line every day, and they don’t always get a lot of thanks for it,” says PETA Director Daphna Nachminovitch. “These brave souls are heroes in our book, and we deeply appreciate their willingness to save any living being in danger¿no matter the species. Their limitless compassion is an inspiration.”
For more information, please visit PETA’s Web site HelpingAnimals.com.
