Tag archives: help

Paw Print Genetics recently attended the Washington State Search and Rescue Conference in Ellensburg, Wash. The conference provides educational classes for civilian search and rescue personnel, including canine teams.

While several canine-related classes were offered, including tracking, testing and meteorology, perhaps my favorite was the first-aid class offered by Dr. Michael Fuller, a 30-plus-year veterinarian at the local Ellensburg Animal Hospital. He covered a lot of material in the hour-and-a-half session, everything from must-have items in a first aid kit to broken bones. And while the class was devoted to SAR teams that are often far removed from help, the suggestions on what to pack make an excellent quick, easy-to-carry kit for travelers, hikers and hunters.

First, according to Fuller, nothing is more important than commonsense. The most well equipped first kit won’t do any good if you use it incorrectly. Second, many of the items found in a human first aid kit can be used in a canine first aid kit – including triple antibiotic ointment, eye wash, sterile bandages and wraps, pain relievers and anti-histamines.

First Aid Kits
Fuller recommended starting with a commercial first aid kit and then adding a few items to it. You should carry ...

As yet another storm front that ravaged the Midwest with severe weather and deadly tornados moves east, the cleanup and rebuilding of communities, such as the devastated Moore, Okla., takes precedence.

A television special by Blake Shelton raised $6 million for the United Way, the Red Cross has a text-based donations system set up and there are several other local and national organizations mobilizing to help victims left homeless and injured by the lethal tornados.

The outpouring of emotion extends to pets too, such as this video that went viral after a woman found her missing dog among the rubble during a live television interview.

When it comes to helping animals impacted by the tornados however, no national organization is donating financial support or other needed supplies on a grand and prioritized scale. If you want to help support the animals displaced or injured by the series of tornados that have ravaged Oklahoma, it’s always best, as well as more efficient, to give directly to local organizations. This was true after the explosion that ripped apart the small town of West, Texas, and after other natural and manmade disasters – local organizations can put donations (money or supplies) to better ...