Cobb County firefighters helped deliver 15 puppies during an emergency caesarean section, just one shift after completing animal CPR and pet-care training.
Firefighters from Station 21 were called to VEG ER for Pets after a pregnant dog developed complications during labour. They arrived with lights and sirens to assist veterinary staff with the delivery.
The crew cleared placental sacs, suctioned the puppies’ airways and noses, administered medication and placed the newborns in incubators.
Damien Whitehead, of Cobb County Fire, said: “We officially got certified in pet care, they didn’t tell me that we’d be delivering puppies a shift later.”
Firefighter Brian Powell said the procedure was remarkably similar to delivering human babies.
“It was almost like having a regular baby, but a puppy,” he said.
Cobb County firefighters reunite with puppies
Veterinarian Dr Lauren Savoy credited the firefighters’ rapid response with helping the puppies survive. The crew later returned to see the animals again and check their progress since the August delivery.
“They would fit in the palm of my hand and now I’m using two to hold them, they’ve grown a lot,” Powell said.
Some Cobb County fire crews are trained to care for police and fire dogs, but the animal CPR course was the first general pet-care training for many members of Station 21.
Chris Newman, also of Cobb County Fire, said adopting one of the puppies would be a “unique opportunity”, adding that raising an animal they had helped bring into the world would be “an amazing opportunity”.
Officials have not confirmed whether any of the firefighters will formally adopt one of the puppies.
