A sixth grader comes to the rescue

Photo by: PetMask.com  "Monica donating another petmask"

Most 11 year olds are just now coming into their own and getting out from under mom’s apron strings. Most of them seem to know most of it by now and just want do their own thing. Well one Virginia sixth grader did just that. Monica Plumb is doing her own thing but it is to help the animals. She watched on TV, a local firefighter save a dog from a house fire by utilizing a pet oxygen mask. The mask was placed over the dogs’ nose and it provided him oxygen until they felt he was ok. After watching this, she decided she would check to see if her fire station had them. They did not and they were in need of them. She then decided to raise money for pet masks for that local fire department. She is too young to volunteer at the local shelter, so she decided to do this instead to still be able to help the animals. She does volunteer at the Richmond Animal league every week, the Paws and Claws Animal Hospital when she can, she also goes to the Richmond Dog Obedience Club each week and is a member of the 4-H Crazy for Critters Club. She wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up. With all of this she is still just your normal average girl that plays basketball on the YMCA league to taking dance and even playing the clarinet.

Photo by: PetMask.com             "Cat being saved by the petmask"

Her father helped her to create a website named PetMask to help bring the awareness to her project. She has utilized flyers, collections cans at businesses, yard sales and even had her school help with a talent show to get people to donate for her cause. She has even set up a table at the local PETCO store during an event to help with getting more donations. A lot of donations have come through her online website from all over the country. With her effort, there have been 37 fire departments in twelve states and one Canadian province that have benefited from Monica’s masks. She has donated over 40 masks and has more kits on order to go out to the fire departments all over. Currently she is working on a fire department in South Holland, IL. This is not just local anymore; it is now an international enterprise. For now, she is going to keep to just the masks and trying to coordinate for as many fire departments that need then to get them. She has a list of the fire stations in need and the list is always growing. Monica said, “Hearing about the cat that was saved using one of the masks that I donated made me feel really good and special”. This cat was in Kansas and a Bonner Springs firefighter saved the cat with the donated pet mask. .

Photo by: Petmask.com  "Special thanks to all"

With Monica’s efforts, it made the United Animal Nations (UAN) take a look at her and her generous deeds. They stated that her efforts to help the animals were perfect for their mission on helping animals from disasters. They then agreed to award Monica with the annual Animals’ Choice Award. This award is given to someone who goes above and beyond his or hers normal responsibilities to helps animals in need. Along with this award she was given a $500 grant from the UAN to help her with the fundraising efforts for more masks. “I was really excited and happy that I was going to be able to help save more pets”, said Monica about getting the grant. “The press release helps spread the word about what I am doing and that helps bring in more donations”, she said.

Check out this link on her website about a puppy that was saved by the Daytona Beach, Florida Fire Department.

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