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Prepared Owner s Learn CPR for Pets SHORTCUTS AT LARGE 76 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 5 A ngels on Earth Pet Care owner Rachel Ray spends her days work- ing with animals and has six pets of her own. So, when she learned of a free pet CPR and safety class offered by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), the SPCA for Monterey County and Monterey's Parkview Veterinary Hospital, she welcomed the oppor- tunity to refresh her skills. Following presentations on pet health and disaster preparedness for four-legged family members, Ray and her fellow participants practiced CPR on two dog mannequins. They administered side compressions and rescue breathing techniques. They learned the basics of muzzling an ill or injured animal. They also worked with a live dog owned by instructor and Parkview veterinarian Karen Allies, measuring the pup's pulse and analyz- ing vital signs. "It was great watching people's faces light up when they found the pulse," says Ray. "The instructors encouraged us to go home and try this with our own dogs—to really take what we learned and apply it to our own pets." Organizers introduced the pet CPR and safety classes in 2009, after Cal Fire purchased pet CPR kits for trucks in the Cypress and Carmel Highlands Fire Protection Districts and the Pebble Beach Community Services District. Residents who learned about the equipment often fol- lowed up with pet safety questions, so Cal Fire representatives reached out to partners and outlined a course. Between 50 and 80 people now attend each class, says Cal Fire Captain Jennifer Valdez, including SPCA volunteers, pet store employees, pet sit- ters, pet owners and others. "We get a lot of great feedback, and that's helped us to cater the pro- gram to what people in the area are looking for," she says. For participants, it's about being prepared for anything. "It's really important, if there's an emergency, to have another tool in your toolbox," says Ray. For information on upcoming pet CPR classes throughout the area, visit the Pebble Beach Community Services District Facebook page or contact Captain Jennifer Valdez at 831-647-5642. —Renee Brincks Marianna Pimentel, Holly Heebink, Suha Kilic and Cal Fire Captain Jennifer Valdez assist with free community pet CPR and safety classes offered through the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the SPCA for Monterey County and Parkview Veterinary Hospital. Photo: Kelli Uldall