By Jake Gregg, Federal Way Mirror reporter

The Puget Sound Doberman Pinscher Club has donated CasPeR (CPR) the resuscitation dog to South King Fire and Rescue. This equipment will be used in conjunction with human CPR training in hopes of having first responders prepared and ready to save animal lives.

This year, the club has also donated six FIDO BAGS through the fetch foundation to the Enumclaw Fire Department. These are oxygen masks that are formed to fit over a pet’s muzzle.

But this is not just for the fire department.

South King Fire and Rescue holds CPR trainings on a regular basis for the public, and will be using CasPeR in those trainings as well.

“It’s a great adjunct if people have pets that we’ll be able to also show them how to do CPR on a dog,” Capt. Jeff Bellinghausen said Aug. 14. “There’s no actual certification for knowing how to do CPR on a dog so it’ll just be something we can offer to the public as an extra.”

Unlike humans whose pulse is typically felt on the neck or wrist, a dog has a major artery on the inside of its back legs, and placing your hand on that area lets you feel their heartbeat.

The dog club serves the Greater Puget Sound Region and is involved in everything from agility drills to search and rescue, tracking, nose work, dock diving and more.

Bringing in money through donations and events, the club is able to generate revenue to provide equipment, like CasPeR, to the fire department.

The dog club’s main source of income comes from its annual three-day agility trial as well as a two-day conformation specialty show with obedience, rally and junior showmanship categories.

The club’s meetings are held at 7:30 p.m. the second Monday of every month at Claim Jumper Restaurant in Tukwila, 5901 S. 180th St.