Pet Briefs

Departments get pet oxygen masks

The cities of Charleston and North Charleston, Johns Island and Dorchester County fire departments and Folly Beach Public Safety received a donation of pet oxygen masks this week.

The masks, which help prevent pets from falling victim to smoke inhalation from a fire, were donated by Janet Fincannon, a Charleston resident, and Invisible Fence of Coastal Carolinas, which matches her fundraising through in-kind gifts.

The specially designed pet oxygen mask sets enable first responders to administer oxygen to a stricken animal.

Cheer for your favorite mascot

From Yale's "Handsome Dan" to Georgia's "Uga," fans adore their college mascots as much as the highest scoring team players. But which mascot will score the most points?

In celebration of its 125th anniversary, the American Kennel Club and AOL's PawNation.com are asking Americans to weigh in on their favorite canine college mascots. The nominees are:

--Yale's "Handsome Dan": The first university in the U.S. to adopt a mascot, Yale's bulldog was established by a young man from Victorian England, who attended Yale in the 1890s. There have been 17 Handsome Dans, who have belonged to deans, directors and coaches.

--University of Georgia's "Uga": A solid white English bulldog has served as the mascot since 1956. There have been seven dogs to carry the name, each the son of his predecessor. Deceased Ugas are interred in a mausoleum near the stadium.

--Texas A&M's "Reveille": Students adopted the first Reveille in 1931. After the death of the first Reveille, a university graduate donated a Shetland sheepdog. The third Reveille was the first to be a purebred Collie.

--Georgetown's "Jack the bulldog": In 1962, Jack was adopted as the official mascot. Over time, the tradition of a permanent, on-campus mascot was replaced by a student in a bulldog suit. However, seniors in the Class of 1999 began a "Bring Jack Back" campaign and succeeded in welcoming a new Jack to campus.

--Boston University's "Rhett the Boston terrier": School colors are scarlet and white. The mascot is named Rhett in a reference to "Gone With the Wind," because "no one loves Scarlet more than Rhett."

--Fresno State's "Timeout": Fresno State adopted the bulldog mascot in 1921 after the student body president and friends were continually greeted on their way to football games by a white bulldog. In 1981, a costumed bulldog was introduced.

Vote: www.pawnation.com/category/akc-top-125-dogs.

Compiled by Brenda Rindge