A fundraiser has been launched for pet rescue kits in memory of a Warrington couple and their dogs, killed in a house blaze in Daresbury in 2022.
The Skyla Project has been launched by Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service Watch Manager Nic Brennan, with the mission of giving firefighters across the UK the specialist equipment and training needed to safely rescue pets in emergencies. The goal is to supply as many fire stations as possible with “Skyla Small Animal Rescue Kits” over the next 12 months.
The project was named in memory of Kieran Naylor and Rebecca Foster, a Warrington couple who tragically died in a house fire in 2022 along with their beloved pets, Skye and Nyla. Before their deaths, Kieran and Rebecca had pledged to help support Nic’s idea. Their families, determined to honour that promise, have now begun fundraising in their memory.
The couple died after sustaining serious injuries during a fire at their home on Delph Lane, Daresbury, in the early hours of Monday, 12 December 2022.
Already, the project has helped equip Cheshire firefighters with specialist pet oxygen masks designed to fit animals’ snouts, alongside CPR mannequins and trauma kits to deliver realistic training. Crews can now perform vital pre-veterinary emergency care, such as CPR and oxygen delivery, for pets suffering from smoke inhalation or injuries.
As Nic explains: “This project is deeply personal to me, not just because I’ve always had pets, but because it carries forward a dream that Kieran and Rebecca helped begin. Their legacy will now help protect pets throughout our region.”
So far, the fundraiser has raised over £1,600 of its £60,000 target.
Donations can be made via https://www.gofundme.com/f/specialist-equipment-training-for-small-animals-rescue
For more information about the charity please visit The Skyla Project
