I recently received some news that touched my forever "FiveSibesMom"
heart immensely.❤️
A few years back, on an episode my show “The Sibe Vibe” on Dog Works Radio that was devoted to Pet Safety, CPR, and First Aid featuring guest speaker, Tom Rinelli, owner and instructor of Paws N Claws 911 First Aid and Care
Training located in Oakdale, New York. (Podcast at end of this article). During his classes, Tom uses simulated
demonstration (demo) animals for the hands-on training sessions.
"A medical emergency or traumatic injury suffered by your pet can be life threatening - unlike their human counterparts, you cannot simply dial 9-1-1 to get help in the event of an emergency. Veterinary medical offices typically maintain normal business hours and even animal emergency hospitals can be miles away...in an emergency, Every Second Counts!! Learn the vital life saving skills needed to help your pet in an emergency."
~Tom Rinelli, Owner/Instructor, Paws N Claws 911 First Aid and Care Training
Recently, Tom received 10 more demo dogs for his Paws N
Claws 911 "staff,” (they were a gift from his mom for Christmas)! All 80
of his demo dogs and cats he has given names, which, he says, “are dogs I've
had/known, Fire/EMS & photography terms…and tributes to dogs (particularly
police K9's) who have passed.” His newest demo dogs are mini Siberian Huskies! Says
Tom, “When I got these mini Huskies and needed names, I knew two names right
off the bat. Hope you're happy to know that Gibson and Wolfie will be spoken of
often!”
Paws N Claws 911 newest "staff" demo dogs,
my Gibson & Wolfgang!
I am SO VERY touched by this gesture! Reading his lovely note brought tears
of joy to my eyes. My beautiful furangel boys, Siberian Huskies Gibson (who lived with Epilepsy and is the inspiration behind my #LiveGibStrong and #Paws4Purple K9 Epilepsy Awareness Ambassadorship) and Wolfgang (his little brother who dealt with anxiety, GI issues, tumors, and torn CCLs) will
forever be honored by being one of Tom’s Paws N Claws 911 “staff” demo dogs! It warms my
heart to know that other pets will be helped in their name.
“When
I got these mini (demonstration) Huskies
and needed names, I knew two names right off the bat. Hope you're happy to know
that Gibson and Wolfie will be spoken of often!”
~Tom
Rinelli, Owner & Instructor
Paws N Claws 911 First Aid and Care Training
My beautiful brothers...Gibson & Wolfgang, the namesakes for Paws N Claws 911's newest demo dogs!
This honor—to know my beloved Gibson and Wolfie will be
remembered through such an important effort—is just so wonderful!
Says Tom, “I speak of my boy Jake in EVERY class I teach and
through that, he's always with me no matter what, so you can know that your
boys will be remembered as well.”
It sure doesn’t get much better than that!
Woooooooo!
Tom & Paws N Claws 911!!!
A little about Tom and Paws N Claws 911...Tom is a seasoned veteran of pre-hospital emergency medical
services for over 30 years. Serving as a New York State certified emergency medical care
provider, he has extensive field experience in both urban and suburban settings
having been assigned to high crime, high-call volume response areas in the New
York City and Long Island regions for over 20 years.
With a background providing training in the classroom
setting, as well as a field training instructor, Tom has received numerous life-saving
awards, commendations and awards including being the recipient of Suffolk
County NY Regional EMS Council’s “EMS Leadership Award.”
Tom is also a lifelong dog lover and owner who has taken his
vast education, training, and field experience as a seasoned pre-hospital
emergency medical care provider and educator treating two legged patients to
four legged patients by adapting his highly interactive, hands-on teaching style
to educate pet parents and pet care professionals in the techniques of Pet CPR
and First Aid. To date, Tom has trained 3,000 students around the world
including pet parents, pet care professionals, animal rescue volunteers and
emergency service personnel (including members of the United States Coast
Guard's Maritime Safety & Security Team).
Tom Rinelli demonstrating First Aid on a demo dog.
Photo Courtesy of PawsNClaws911.
On his website, Paws N Claws 911, he asks…
“It's 11 PM on a Sunday night...you let your pet out for the final walk of the night. Suddenly you hear a commotion outside and your pet returns covered in blood after being attacked by a raccoon. Your vet's office is closed, the animal emergency hospital is ten miles away and your pet is bleeding profusely...There is no Pet 9-1-1... Do YOU know how to help your pet in an emergency?”
He does note a disclaimer: “This training is not
intended to replace veterinary medical care in the event of an emergency or
regularly scheduled care. Please consult your primary veterinary medical care
provider for guidance regarding your pet's health.”
And just who is a good candidate for these training
programs?
“Anyone with an interest in ‘pawtecting’ the safety and
wellness of canine/feline pets,” states Tom.
Training is geared for:
✓Pet Parents
(Groomer, Sitter/Walker, Vet Tech,
Kennel Staff)
✓Animal Rescue Volunteers and First Responders
(NO prior
training or experience is needed).
Classes can be taught almost anywhere
including your home, office/place of business, school, animal shelter,
firehouse, or group meeting.
Paws N Claws 911 also offers FUNDRAISING classes for non-profits! Interested? Check out more info HERE.
When the COVID pandemic hit in 2020, Tom says he pivoted “to
online where I developed and taught the only online program with hands-on
training taught with a live instructor (through Zoom).” His program was so well
received, that he “taught over 150 students in 20 states and three foreign countries,
including Germany and New Zealand!”
Tom has since been back to in-person teaching, but continues
to offer online courses “on a per need basis particularly to those outside my
coverage area of the Northeast United States (MA to MD and everywhere in between), I now continue to offer it on a per need basis particularly
to those outside my coverage area of the Northeast US (Massachusetts to Maryland,
and everywhere in between).”
Tom is also due to teach 45 members of a Colorado-based
CART (Community Animal Response Team) that was referred to him by a CART in
California, whose members he trained. “Luckily, I adapted and persevered
through a rough time,” he notes, adding, “As a 30-plus year medic, I live my
life using the mantra ‘Improvise, Adapt & Overcome,’ so that's how I made
it through the storm.”
And for that, we are so happy as Tom’s Paws N Claws 911
program is so very important for the safety and well-being of pets.
If you’d like to listen in to the episode of my show
featuring Tom, just tune in below!
If you’d be interested in one of Tom’s programs, his website
is www.pawsnclaws911.com, or you can E-mail him at: tom@pawsnclaws911.com.
And follow his PawsNClaws911
on Facebook!
Be sure to tell Tom you read about his Paws N Claws 911 program
on FiveSibes! And maybe you’ll even get to see my boys’ namesake demo Huskies,
Gibson and Wolfie, at work in the classroom!
Aw, what a wonderful thing. When our Angel Little Bit went to the bridge we got a stuffed baby that looks much like her and she stays on our boat. She is such a comfort.
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous day and rest of the week. ♥
What a true honor for your Gibson and Wolfie! What a beautiful way for them to live on and help another dog in need. Love the name tags!
ReplyDeleteThis is so amazing. What a lovely tribute to Gibson and Wolfie. The demo dogs are so adorable.
ReplyDeleteThose demo dogs are just the cutest. They have the 'pawfect' names, too. 💜
ReplyDeleteAww this is so sweet in remembrance of Wolfie and Gibson! Yes, continue to speak of them often and keep their memory alive and well. I think this is wonderful work he's doing to educate pet parents in the event of an emergency. Pinning this to share!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful tribute to you boys! I love that Gibson and Wolfie are memorialized in such a giving way. As you said, it is heart-warming and truly lovely. Their love has materialized into a legacy of helping others. Truly beautiful! 🐶💖🐶
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing way to remember your boys by helping others, what an honor, I am so happy for you
ReplyDeleteWhat a thrill to have the boys commemorated is such a positive and really useful way. It's amazing and you must be so proud in your heart.
ReplyDeleteWhile he says (rightly) that the first aid must not replace veterinary care it CAN and WILL save lives because knowing the right action to take will allow you to get a cat or dog to the vet in a better condition and with a better chance of survival.
I loved this! So much better to practice on a dummy than on a real dog :-) What a wonderful tribute.
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