By Joyce Knorr
Aroostook County Branch Manager
Your pet depends on you for his or her well-being. In addition to providing daily care, love and affection, your best friend depends on you in an emergency. Whether your pet becomes ill or injured, or needs help in a disaster, the American Red Cross can help.
PET FIRST AID — The American Red Cross offers a Pet First Aid course that will teach pet owners emergency care procedures for cats and dogs, like Casper and Snickers, and provide tips for keeping pets happy and healthy, too. For more information, call Judi Greenier at 762-5671.
Our Pet First Aid course teaches you emergency care procedures for cats and dogs and provides tips for keeping your pet happy and healthy, too. You will learn how to:
• Administer medications.
• Recognize an emergency.
• Perform CPR and first aid.
• Treat common problems and emergencies requiring immediate attention.
• Stock a pet first aid kit.
It’s important to pay attention to what is normal for your pet so you can detect signals when something is wrong. Here are a few tips if your pet becomes ill or injured:
• Always approach a sick or injured animal slowly and cautiously.
• Watch the body expressions and sounds your pet makes to warn you. Even your own pet can be aggressive when in pain or frightened.
• Do not make quick, jerky, or loud movements. They might further scare your pet.
• When necessary, use towels or blankets to subdue cats or small dogs.
• Keep the phone number and address of your veterinarian in a convenient location.
• Have the phone number and address of an after-hours veterinary clinic on hand and keep directions to that clinic in the same place. Whenever possible, call ahead to let them know you’ll be coming.
Knowing what to do in an emergency can help save your pet’s life. It only takes three hours to complete a Pet First Aid course. If you are interested in registering for one of our Pet First Aid courses or if you would like to learn more about other Red Cross Health & Safety trainings, please call Judi Greenier at 762-5671.
The Aroostook County Branch of the American Red Cross-Pine Tree Chapter helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Last year, staff and volunteers responded to 24 house fires, provided 20 armed forces emergency communication contacts, and conducted 426 Health and Safety trainings-certifying 2,231 individuals. An average of 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in disaster services. The Red Cross is not a government agency and does not receive funds from state or federal government; it relies on donations of time, money, and blood to do its work.
