Inspiring our youngsters

I was quite moved by the work of a youngster named Corey, and probably taken by his name as that is the name of my baby brother, who was taken some years ago, and far too early, by cancer. Be sure to learn more about the organization that inspired his special mission, People Helping Pets.

Animal emergency – Coral Springs boy distributes oxygen masks for pets to area fire departments
By Nicole T. Lesson, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

One Coral Springs boy. One good deed. The potential for many pet lives saved. Fire departments throughout Broward County — including in Coral Springs, Parkland, Tamarac, Margate, Coconut Creek, Pembroke Pines, Miramar, Cooper City and Plantation — recently received pet oxygen masks through the efforts of Corey Lustig, 12.

The sixth-grader at Coral Springs Middle School raised enough money in almost a year, more than $1,800, to buy 30 pet oxygen masks as a service project for his bar mitzvah.

“A lot of animals die in fires,” said Corey, whose bar mitzvah will be March 24 at the Congregation Kol Tikvah in Parkland. “There’s a lot of pets, and they may need help.” The masks have labels showing rescuers how much oxygen the animal would need based on weight, Corey said.

“The dog’s mouth goes into the mask, and then you hook it up to an oxygen tank,” he said.

Pembroke Pines firefighters recently used one of the donated masks to treat a golden retriever puppy for smoke inhalation from a house fire. “Firefighters found him inside the house and he was very lethargic,” Pembroke Pines Fire-Rescue spokesman Shawn Hallich said. “They administered oxygen for about 8 minutes and his status dramatically changed.”

Pembroke Pines rescuers also used the mask to provide oxygen to a cat who was not as critical as the puppy.

Corey, who has a cat named Safari, said he knew he wanted to help animals. He credited the late Steven Paul of Wiles Road Animal Hospital in Coral Springs, his family’s longtime veterinarian, with helping with the project. [Dr. Paul is shown here with his beloved Saint. Hopefully, they are together now.]