Firefighters Receive Pet Resuscitation Masks Today, May 25 at 1:30 p.m.

WHAT:        When fire strikes, family pets can be injured or even die
             from inhaling smoke. Because human oxygen masks don't fit
             over animals' snouts, local firefighters and rescue
             personnel can't do much to help. Until now.

             Beginning today, Best Friends Cause for Paws is a
             region-wide campaign to outfit Boston area fire
             departments with special dog & cat oxygen masks. Four
             Boston area fire departments are receiving masks this
             week.

             The Framingham FD will receive six sets of the special
             pet oxygen masks today and will "test" them on a
             volunteer dog.

WHEN,
WHERE
& WHO
             1:30 p.m. - Framingham Fire Dept Headquarters,
             10 Loring Drive

             Fire Captain Joseph Hicks & firefighters will accept
             the masks

             Susan Adam, a representative of Best Friends Pet Care,
             which is donating more than 20 sets of masks to area
             fire departments, will present the masks with the
             help of a "volunteer" dog who will demonstrate the masks
             for firefighters.

BACKGROUND:  Best Friends Cause for Paws is a community campaign to
             raise funds to purchase masks for fire departments.
             Best Friends will match all contributions for fire
             departments within 15 miles of any of Best Friends six
             Boston region facilities (located in Ashland, Boxford,
             Brockton, Sudbury, Tyngsboro and Wakefield). For details,
             see http://www.bestfriendspetcare.com. The goal is to
             raise enough funds to distribute at least 400 sets of
             masks to area firefighters.

             Cause for Paws is underway in 12 states. To date, more
             than 750 sets of masks have been donated to or earmarked
             for nearly 100 fire departments around the country.

FOR
INFORMATION: Debra Bennetts, 203-846-4660 at Best Friends -
             Corporate