GOLD BAR, Wash. — Quick action by firefighters and sheriff’s deputies saved the lives of six 10-week-old puppies after they were brought to a Washington fire station unresponsive and in critical condition, officials said.
Three puppies were brought to a Snohomish County Fire District No. 26 fire station on Sunday after becoming unresponsive. Firefighters found all three in respiratory and full cardiac arrest, according to Sky Valley Fire.
“Firefighters knew that three puppies suffering from the same symptoms, the cause had to be environmental poisoning of some kind,” the department said in a social media post.
Crews immediately began lifesaving efforts, including CPR, oxygen therapy and the administration of naloxone, also known as Narcan. Naloxone is commonly used to reverse the effects of opioid overdoses.
“Also knowing that fentanyl is one of the major causes of poisoning, when introduced in the air as a powder, it was our firefighters’ best guess that the puppies had experienced a fentanyl OD,” the department said.
All three responded to treatment and were successfully resuscitated.
The rescue effort expanded whenSnohomish County Sheriff’s Office deputies located the individuals who brought in the puppies and went to their home, where they found three more puppies that were also critically ill. Deputies rushed the additional puppies to Station 54, where firefighter-EMTs again provided emergency medical care.
All six puppies were transported to a 24-hour urgent care veterinary clinic for further treatment.
“We are told all six puppies are recovering,” the department said.
A photo shared by the department shows the puppies alongside several of the Sky Valley firefighters who helped save them.
“A big thank you to our firefighter-EMTs, our sheriff deputies and the 24-hour urgent care veterinary clinic,” the department said. “It is our hope the puppies fully recover and find loving forever homes.”
