What to do in a pet emergency
Hi Everyone!
It’s CJ here! Thank you so much for reading our first post.
Today I would like to talk about how to handle a pet emergency. This is one of the scariest times for pets and pet parents, so the goal is to help you navigate through a stressful situation.
The main reason we are sharing this post is due to how I departed. My dog mom and I were taking an evening walk in my neighborhood at the end of September 2018. About 10 minutes into our walk, a bigger dog on a leash attacked, bit and shook me! We tried to defend ourselves, but the bite was bad enough that it ended my life 5 minutes later. My dog mom, although usually prepared and proactive in emergencies, didn’t know what to do! She rushed me to the Animal ER, but it was too late to save my life.
We want to make sure you are prepared, so you don’t have to go through what we did.
How to Prepare
We don’t like to think about it, but an emergency situation can happen at ANY time. So it’s always best to be prepared so you can take the necessary, sometimes life saving steps, when the time comes!
First Aid Kit - Build your own pet first aid kit, with necessary supplies. The AMVA has a printable checklist here . You can also order a first aid kit from Amazon. Here are a few options for readymade kits.
Things to Carry While on a Walk
Emergency Numbers - We’ve designed an emergency cards for Manhattan.
The Upper West Side edition is available to download here or pick one up at an NYC pet store starting February 2019.Flashlight
Pocket first aid kit
Pet CPR CPR + First Aid - What you need to know
Love-CJ Partner classes - We are launching classes at local pet-friendly shops and cafes this spring. Visit our Events page for updates and locations.
Pet CPR + First Aid Class - If you would like to get a full certification, check out Pet-Tech
Online Classes - ProPetHero has a great offering that covers many important things you should know.
When an emergency happens
FOR YOUR ANIMAL
Stay Calm - for yourself and your pet
Call or ask someone else to call the closest Animal ER or Poison Control - Do this first, especially if your vet may be closed.
Assess the situation - Do I need to perform CPR or First Aid? Find your RedCross App or Love CJ Info Card.
Put your animal gently on the ground, on their side, in a safe area.
Begin treatment until help arrives
Call your vet, if you have not already.
IN CASES THAT HAPPEN WITH OTHER PEOPLE/ANIMALS IN PUBLIC
You’ll need to file a report. Its very important to collect as much information as you can.
Use your Love-CJ Emergency Card for contact info
Take other party’s contact information
Take photos/videos of everything
Call 911 if incident involves another person or animal
Report the incident to the Department of Health within 24 hours - this one is super important, as the animal who attacked may have previous incidents on record. You can reach the Animal Bite Unit at 646-364-1799 or use this form after 6pm and follow up the next day.
Keep record of all vet bills, photos/videos
We hope sharing these details helps our readers be prepared in case of emergencies. If you have any questions or would like to share your story, send us a message at lovecjtheyorkie@gmail.com .
Till next time,
Love- CJ