The first thing most professional pet care providers do is get certified in Pet First Aid and CPR. It is, of course, the responsible thing to do when caring for pets professionally. The reality is, however, that most pets that experience injuries, illnesses, or emergencies will be in the care of their owners when these events happen. For this reason, we highly encourage pet first aid training for pet parents.
Pet First Aid Basics
The term “Pet First Aid” includes CPR, rescue breathing, bleeding management, choking management, and more. Most reputable Pet First Aid & CPR courses are offered by instructors that have years of experience in these skills and have undergone days-long instructor certification courses to be able to teach them. Additionally, the certification courses themselves are usually designed by veterinarians and/or veterinary organizations.
Urgency in Pet First Aid
Many pet parents think they don’t need to learn Pet First Aid & CPR because they imagine they would simply rush their pet to the emergency veterinarian in the case of an accident. Unfortunately, however, emergencies like those listed above require immediate attention. A choking pet cannot be transported, bleeding needs to be managed before transport, and both CPR and rescue breathing must be started immediately to have any possibility of success.
Pet First Aid Certification
At Hearts at Home Pet Sitting, our employees undergo Pet First Aid & CPR training through Pet Pro Hero. Because Pet Pro Hero offers online, video-based training that was designed by Dr. Bobbi Conner, DVM, DACVECC, professor of Veterinary Medicine and Critical Care at the University of Florida, it offers outstanding education and convenience. And, its online format makes it accessible to English-speaking pet parents around the world.
Another highly reputable Pet First Aid & CPR course is Pet First Aid 4 U, which was founded by Arden Moore, a leader in the pet care industry with roles including podcast host, professional speaker/emcee, best-selling author, Fear Free® certified professional, and master pet first aid/CPR instructor. Arden is a big believer in encouraging younger pet lovers to learn these important skills. She’s taught kids as young as 12 in her virtual and in-person classes. Kids are usually accompanied by a parent or adult but she’d welcome 16-year-olds and above to join without an adult. “Hey, it's a chance to motivate our next generation of pet advocates!” says Arden.
For local, in-person classes, we also like PetTech, an internationally recognized pet safety company that has been teaching lifesaving skills to pet parents for over 20 years. Their certified instructors include pet industry personality, Isabel Alvarez Arata, and former vet tech and Master Instructor, Beth Bowers. You can watch them discuss the importance of Pet First Aid & CPR training here or listen here.
To learn about the training our employees undergo and how hiring a Pet First Aid certified professional benefits you and your pet, email us at Hello@HeartsAtHomePetSitting.com or call 757-745-9868. We have your pet’s best interests at heart!
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