May 5, 2008

Photo by Colin Witherill, Photo Illustration by Austin Bitt, Pet Pulse

DENVER, Colo. -- In case your pet is suddenly injured or needs emergency medical care for any reason, the American Red Cross is giving first aid classes to treat pets.

Kristine Hughes has been a CPR instructor for about a decade. She began teaching the pet program a few years back, and says it’s proven quite popular.

“As our pets become more important to us they replace children in a lot of people’s lives,” Hughes said. “People want to know how to take care of them and to do the things they can.”

“And people are in it for all different reasons,” said Hughes, whose pet first aid courses usually include between five and 12 students.

Jody Dimas of Denver is among those taking advantage of the classes. She recently retired after 32 years in hotel management, and plans to use the pet first aid skills in her new career.

“I just started my own business in pet sitting and walking, and I am in a dog grooming class to ultimately become a dog groomer,” Dimas said. “I know how I would want someone to take care of my animals and what they mean to me, so I want to be able to be prepared to do that for other people.”

Sheena Abeyta has a Border Collie-Lab mix and plans to add a new Sheep Dog puppy to her life, a dog waiting for her three states away.

“I’m actually going to pack a first aid kit and it will be nice on our way home that if he chokes on anything, I’ll be ready for it and have some emergency numbers,” Abeyta said. “That way he’s all set and ready to go.”

From basic first aid to rescue breathing, and even muzzling a dog, this class prepares its students for most anything.

“One dog I had, she cut herself on the siding in the back yard,” said student Marissa Darnell of Lakewood. “I did what I could to wrap her up and took her to the vet so it’s good to know for those kinds of things.

For more information on first aid courses for pets, visit RedCross.org.

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