ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) – Pet owners unit at Meyer’s Tails Up Farm in Belvidere for the opportunity to learn how to perform CPR and rescue breathing measures on their four legged family members.
The class participants say knowing CPR for pets is incredibly important, because there may be times where a dog is in trouble, and there is no help nearby.
“They’re like family, and this is like learning how to give CPR to your infant,” said one Dog Owner Ray Morris.
Ray and Dawn Morris own a 7 year old Labrador Basset Hound mix named Nova. They know all dog owners can relate when it comes to the responsibility of owning a pet, but when Nova was just a pup, the Morris’s realized how intense that responsibility can be.
“He was choking on a rawhide, so we kind of picked him and cradled him, did CPR compressions on him,” said the Morris’s. “And we finally got it out.”
Now, the Morris’s believe it is essential for fellow dog owners to learn how they can help, in case of a situation just like theirs, where their pet’s life is on the line.
“We were panicked, as you may expect,” said Ray.
Pet Tech CPR Instructor Bethany Wiltshire says panic is how most pet owners react, but Sunday afternoon’s Pet CPR and Rescue Class gave participants the step-by-step tools to turn that fear into adrenaline.
“When emotions are high, and the stakes are high, you can panic and forget what to do,” said Wiltshire. “So we need to hands on practice to be are ready.”
Kristen Tope believes every pet parents should take a class like this. Owning and fostering Labradors for more than 20 years, she says she has first hand seen several times, where dogs faced near death experiences. Often times, it was without a vet clinic nearby.
“The more knowledge you have, the better chances you have to save your animal, before they get to the vet,” said Tope.
Wiltshire also says this class teaches owners the most up to date CPR and Rescue Breathing, approved by the American Veterinary Association. She also advises owners to keep a first aid kit in their car for their pets.
Copyright 2022 WIFR. All rights reserved.
