Tuesday, May 8, 2007

K-9 Down Rescue Program

What do you do when you come upon a severely injured dog or cat? Even EMTs and Paramedics are usually unsure. They're trained to stabilize and transport people, not animals.
One option is to attend "K-9 Down." The K-9 Down Program started in 2000 at the University of Florida. When UF stopped offering the program, course director Rita Hanel, a clinical assistant professor at North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, decided to keep it going.
The two-session course teaches police officers, firefighters, search-and-rescue teams and others how to respond to a canine or feline health emergency. It is offered one weekend a year in Florida, in March, at the Florida Veterinary Specialists and Treatment Center, in Tampa. Limited to only 40 participants, the program costs $195 for nonprofit or government employees and $395 for employees of private organizations.

Read the story from the Naples Daily News here, or visit the K-9 Down Program website here. Photo credit: K-9 Down Program website.

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