October 22 Pet First Aid Class.
Chartiers Custom Pet Cremation will sponsor a free Pet First Aid Class on Saturday, June 2, 2018, at Bridgeville Public Library. Registrants will have the opportunity to choose which level of pet first aid instruction will be offered that day by voting for the Certification Class or the Basic Class when they call to register before Sunday, April 15.
“The full certification class is a full afternoon and often a two-hour introductory class is what most people want if they’ve never had any experience with pet first aid,” Deb said, “but we still like to offer the option of actually being certified.”
Although there is usually a charge for attending these classes, Chartiers Custom Pet Cremation hosts these sessions free of charge to offer families the skills they can use to help save the life of their pet. Deb Chebatoris, owner of Chartiers Custom Pet Cremation, contracts with Karen Sable, a certified pet CPR and first aid instructor and owner of Pet Emergency Training LLC, to help families learn what to do in the case of a pet life threatening situation.
In order for people to understand what each of the classes offers, here is a breakdown of what they will learn in each one.
Two-hour Basic Pet First Aid Class
The two-hour class is designed as an introduction for pet owners. Attendees learn about some of the more common situations that might be encountered:
- CPR Demonstration & Rescue Breathing
- Bleeding
- Heatstroke
- Hypothermia
- Seizures
- Poisoning
- Choking
- Assessing Pet’s Vital Signs
- Assembling a Pet First Aid Kit
Five-hour Full Certification Class
The five hour class certifies the student in pet first aid and is designed for people who work with pets such as veterinary technicians, pet sitters and groomers as well as emergency medical technicians who may encounter pets while rescuing people in fires and natural disasters or family members who want a deeper understanding of their pet. The course covers all that is offered in the two-hour class above as well as:
- Injury Assessment
- Handling & Safety
- Bites & Stings
- Fractures & Limb Injuries
- Snout to Tail Wellness Assessment
- Bloat
- Emergency Preparedness For Your Pets
Participants will receive lecture presentations as well as extensive demonstration on mannequins and hands on skills practice. The class includes training materials, a first aid handbook, Certificate of Completion and wallet card.
About free classes sponsored by Chartiers Custom Pet Cremation
Deb Chebatoris has offered classes to help people respond to emergencies since 2011. Even though her business is aftercare for pets and their families, “I don’t want to see any pet until its time, until it has lived the longest and best life it could have,” Deb said. “If giving a pet owner the basics of pet first aid so that the skills help save the pet’s life in an emergency, that goal is met for me and I’m thrilled I could help the family and the pet continue living happily.
“It is difficult when we lose a pet who has lived a full and long life,” Deb stated. “But it’s a real gut punch to say goodbye when the pet is young. The grief is palpable in these situations, with families saying they had such plans for the life cut drastically short,” says Deb. “When I need to work with a family whose young, healthy pet has succumbed to an accidental death, it is a double tragedy.” Not only does the family experience the loss but there is a lingering feeling that “if only…” they would have done this or that, the death may not have occurred. “Up until April 15 I will be tabulating the votes of all those who call to state their preference, and after that date all who are interested can check the website to see which class will be offered,” Deb said. Participants must cast their vote by calling Deb at 412/220-7800 before Sunday, April 15. Check the website at www.ccpc.ws/classes-for-you-and-your-pet/ after that date to see what class will be offered.