This article appeared in today’s Bergen Record. Most pet owners would leap into action and go the extra mile to rescue their pet with CPR if necessary. Tammy Parks of Amherst Mass. has taken a pet first aid class and she says that she wouldn’t hesitiate to help her 15 year old mixed breed terriers, Lucy and Julia. She says that the CPR mechanics are the same as humans. Parks was an American Red Cross first aid trainer. Size is the bigger difference. A poll found that few pet owners are prepared to handle pet emergencies. Only 20 percent have a pet first aid kit in their home and 54 percent do not have a fire evacuation plan for their pets. The survey also showed dangerous practices that could lead to accidents and injuries. The article pointed out that a quarter of pet owners give their pets bones from table scraps. If you do this, you are looking for trouble! STOP IT!! Sixty two percent of dog owners and a third of cat owners let their pets ride in their cars unrestrained, rather than placing them in their special pet carrier. Eleven percent leave their pets unattended in a car or truck. This is just plain cruelty!  Still pet owners said that they would go the extra mile to rescue their pet. This is great but remember all of the basics that were mentioned in this article to ensure complete safety for your pets.