The Vancouver Humane Society hosts pet first aid training for service providers in the Downtown Eastside
Community services play a crucial role in addressing the immediate and ongoing needs of placed-at-risk people. Many service providers are trained in first aid and emergency response, which ensures they can quickly provide emergency care, help prevent further injury or death, and help people reach more in-depth health care when necessary.
But what happens when pets in these communities need first aid?
Say hello to the Vancouver Humane Society’s first aid training for service workers, which aimed to address the urgent needs of pets in the Downtown Eastside and other communities where people face barriers to accessing care.
This training gathered service providers from Luma Native Housing Society, Raincity Housing Society, and the Portland Hotel Society, which provide community services to people facing poverty and complex barriers.
Helping pets in placed-at-risk communities
More than three quarters of Canadians share their lives with a companion animal, including people of all economic backgrounds and life circumstances. Some people have fallen on hard times and given up personal comforts in an effort to keep their pets safe and healthy; many others have taken in animals from family, friends, or neighbours who could no longer care for them.
Although the bonds between companion animals and their guardians are vital, resources to keep pets in their loving homes are fairly limited. That’s because – unlike human services such as medical care –veterinary care and many other vital services for companion animals do not receive government funding.
The VHS’s McVitie Fund is one of the only services in B.C. providing life-saving funding for veterinary care to help loved pets return home safe.
When it comes to minor injuries and early monitoring like small cuts, scrapes, or bumps, there are now service providers working on the ground in the Downtown Eastside who can help pets.
The training for service providers last month, provided by the VHS through Walks ‘N’ Wags, will help pets get the care they need right away in the communities that need it most.