Welcome!

Often I will read a story that someone has shared in our wonderful mag and think to myself That was the case this week when I first read our dramatic story team was chatting over Zoom today that I realised that CPR on pets is a ‘thing’. Sarah’s mum Doreen saved the life of the Firth family’s goldfish by administering CPR. ‘Marigold had somehow escaped the jug of water she’d been put in while Mum cleaned her tank,’ said Sarah. ‘She was flipping and jumping, and by the time Mum managed to grab her, she was limp and lifeless. So Mum massaged Marigold’s heart lightly and she came back to life!’ Sarah added that Marigold lived a few more happy years. Amber’s story was of when her dad, Reuben, was fitting a collar to their kitten, Toby. ‘For some reason, Toby freaked out and tried to slip the collar over his head, which kept making it tighter,’ said Amber. ‘As Dad struggled to help him, Toby pulled it so tight, it was blocking his airway and he squirmed out of Dad’s hands and ran under our buffet, out of reach. When Dad finally pulled him out, poor Toby wasn’t breathing, so Dad quickly cut off the collar and gave our kitten CPR until he came back to life. We were all so relieved.’ That was 10 years ago and, needless to say, Reuben and Toby have been inseparable ever since. Fortunately, I haven’t had to administer emergency first aid to my dog, Dizzy, but you can bet I will be familiarising myself with canine CPR techniques! Have saved a pet’s life?