Dogs in distress will breathe easier, thanks to a donation of Fido Bags to the Enumclaw Fire Department.

The devices are similar to oxygen masks used for human victims of smoke inhalation, most often brought into use during residential fires.

The Enumclaw department lacked the canine lifesaving equipment, an issue that was resolved thanks to a recent donation by the Puget Sound Doberman Pinscher Club. The Fido Bags were presented to the fire department Aug. 18 during the Olympic Kennel Club show at the Enumclaw Expo Center.

It was the Doberman Club’s close ties to the Enumclaw community that brought the Fido Bag donation. Elaine Hopper, vice president of the club, said the group is in Enumclaw every summer for a Doberman Pinscher show, staged in conjunction with the larger OKC show. That was enough to prompt the donation, she said, adding that the club sets aside money every year for betterment of regional communities.

The club became aware of the Enumclaw Fire Department’s need for pet resuscitation masks and stepped forward, Hopper said, making the donation through the Arizona-based Fetch Foundation.

Each Fido Bag contains oxygen masks designed to fit any pet’s muzzle. Also included are items used to treat a pet’s burns or other injuries.

The Fetch Foundation cites statistics troubling to anyone who shares a home with a four-legged family member. It notes that an estimated half-million pets are affected by fire each year in the U.S., resulting in the deaths of 40,000 animals.

Also this year, the club donated a “resuscitation dog” to South King County Fire and Rescue, which will allow first responders — and the public — to be trained in animal CPR as well as human CPR.