Man Saves Neighbor's Cat

**lizbud** · 02-18-2005, 09:47 AM

There really are good people around.

Neighbor Saves Cat With CPR
House Goes Up In Flames, Feline Stops Breathing

POSTED: 10:46 am EST February 17, 2005

FREMONT, N.H. -- In a true test of friendship, a man performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on his best friend's cat, Manchester, N.H., television station WMUR reported.

Blacky the housecat almost used up his nine lives a few weeks ago when he was pulled from his burning home in Fremont while his owners, the Race family, were away at a funeral. The cat was unconscious and not breathing until family friend Eric Svhreiber, of Chester, N.H., performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

"I just grabbed his upper and lower jaw and just opened his mouth and started breathing inside," Schreiber said. "I have no experience with CPR. I just did what I thought was best for the cat."

The fire began in a chimney, fire officials said. Schreiber was driving by and told firefighters that there were pets inside. "I was shocked, but I was happy," said Sandra Race, Blacky's owner. "I couldn't wait to get back and thank him for saving my cat." Veterinarian Stephanie Lavoie is taking care of Blacky at the Lockridge Animal Hospital in Manchester, N.H.

"He's doing fine," she said. "He's on his antibiotics and doing very, very well."

Schreiber took in the Race family after the fire. He said he has no regrets about how far he would go to help his friends. "It's a great feeling," he said. "I saved her baby."

Friends and family have set up the Race Family Fire Fund at Citizens Bank to help the family get back on their feet.