It’s Pet First Aid Awareness Month, the perfect time to take advantage of the free American Red Cross Pet First Aid App and online class and learn how to help your pet during an emergency.

Know what to do during a pet emergency by taking a class and downloading with the free Pet First Aid App.

• What if your pet is choking, if they’ve eaten something they shouldn’t?
• Can you help your pet if the situation is so serious there is no time to get to your veterinarian?
• The Pet First Aid App provides access to step-by-step instructions, videos and images for more than 25 common first aid and emergency situations including how to treat wounds, control bleeding, and care for breathing and cardiac emergencies.

The Pet First Aid App can:

• Help you maintain your pet’s health
• Tell you how to include pets in your preparedness plans
• Explain how to assemble a pet first aid kit and an emergency kit
• List what emergency supplies to have, when you should contact your veterinarian, and where to find a pet care facility or pet-friendly hotel

The app also allows pet owners to:

• Create a pet profile with tag identification number, photos, list of medications and instructions.
• Find emergency pet care facilities or alternate veterinarians with the ‘animal hospital locator.’
• Test their knowledge with interactive quizzes and earn badges that they can share on their social networks along with their favorite picture of their pet.

ONLINE COURSE ALSO AVAILABLE The Red Cross also offers a cat and dog first aid online course. You can go through the content at your own pace. It takes about 30 minutes to complete the course and you can stop and pick up where you left off if you need to leave the training. The interactive course includes:

• How to determine your pet’s normal vital signs so you can notice if there are any irregularities
• Step-by-step instructions and visual aids for what to do if a pet is choking, needs CPR, has a wound, or is having a seizure
• Information on preventative care, health and tips for a pet’s well-being

You can get the Pet First Aid App by texting ‘GETPET’ to 90999, going to redcross.org/apps, or by searching for ‘American Red Cross’ in app stores. Interested in the pet online first aid course? Visit here for more information.