A dog breeder and trainer is campaigning for all pet professionals to be qualified in first aid.
Rebecca Walters runs Pupstarts Breeders in Oswestry, Shropshire, and supports the national Safer Animals and People campaign, which requires mandatory first aid qualifications for all UK pet professionals.
Together with the RSPCA and national qualifications provider iPET Network, Rebecca believes the time has come to bring the professional pet industry out and ensure safety is paramount.
She said: “I have 14 active spaniels and gun dogs on site so not a week goes by without a little scratch. The fact that I was not trained in first aid is not worth thinking about.
“It’s also a matter of trust for pet professionals. when you pay someone to look after your dog, you expect them to be competent and take good care of them.’
The Safe Pets and People Campaign recently launched an online petition and Rebecca hopes that by helping to raise awareness, more people will visit www.safepetsandpeople.org and sign it.
She said: “I find it amazing that first aid training is no longer compulsory and I’m sure a lot of people don’t realize that their pet groomers don’t need it.
“I hope people will sign the petition and spread the word because this is a very important issue.”
RSPCA Chief Veterinarian Jocelyn Toner said: “We recommend that all professional dog walkers are trained in first aid and we would support any campaign to spread this to include all people working in the pet industry.
“Simple first aid skills can save a pet’s life or ensure an animal receives emergency care before they can get to the vet, and we think it’s a great idea that the Safe Pets and People Campaign wants all pet professionals to animals – from groomers to breeders – to undergo basic first aid training.”
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