Cat Rescue Earns Madison Fire Department PETA Honor

The Madison Fire Department chalked up a memorable rescue to its record, thanks to well-trained personnel and a fortuitous equipment donation.

The rescue also earned the department recognition from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), in the form of the group's Compassionate Fire Department Award. The department will receive a letter of appreciation and a framed certificate.

While the July 8 blaze at 29 Wayne Boulevard left the O'Connor residence severely damaged, no family members were at home at the time—or so it was thought.

That was until firefighters found Corona, the family cat, unconscious in the basement during a search of the house. The feline was revived with an oxygen mask made for animals, which had been donated to the MFD some years earlier.

"it worked perfectly," said Chief Lou DeRosa. "The oxygen brought her back. She was unconscious and it made a difference, she started to move."

After spending a few days recovering at the Madison Veterinary Hospital, Corona was back with her family with only slight lung damage to show for her harrowing experience.

The rescue was the first of its kind during his tenure with the department, DeRosa said.

"In the past we have had cases where the animal is deceased," he said. "But animal rescues happen. Sometimes we will have two or three in a year and then not have any at all some years."

In 2010 firefighters had to cut a hole in sheetrock at a borough townhouse to rescue a cat trapped behind a wall.

"There have also been a couple of times when we have gotten exotic birds out of trees," DeRosa said. "We have the aerial equipment to do it."

He noted that borough firefighters take online courses as part of training for animal rescues.

"This time, the equipment worked perfectly, and the situation worked out good," he said.