Pet CPR and First Aid Online Course for Cats and Dogs Only $50, Finish in 30 Minutes
- Pet CPR and choking response
- Wounds, bleeding, and shock care
- Certificate in about 30 minutes
Enroll Now · Online Course
Red Cross Cat & Dog First Aid
$50- Official American Red Cross training
- Any device, at your own pace
- Certificate of completion
- Course access emailed within 24 hours
Secured by Square.
What you learn in the online cat and dog first aid course
This cat and dog first aid course online teaches the skills every pet owner hopes to never need.
Pet CPR & Choking
Techniques for providing effective CPR and responding to choking incidents in cats and dogs.
Wounds & Shock
How to properly manage wounds, control bleeding, and recognize and treat shock.
Emergency Care
Understanding when to seek immediate veterinary care and emergency preparedness.
Course modules
- Recognizing an emergency in cats and dogs
- Pet CPR steps
- Choking response
- Wound care and bleeding control
- Recognizing and treating shock
- When to get to the vet
What students say about CPR West Covina
Reviews of our in-person CPR classes in West Covina. This online course is the American Red Cross curriculum; we sell the seat and answer your questions.
"He has really helpful and supportive"
Who should take Red Cross Cat and Dog First Aid
Built for anyone who cares for cats or dogs, at home or on the job.
- Pet owners
- Pet sitters and dog walkers
- Veterinary assistants and shelter staff
- Groomers and dog trainers
- Foster families for rescue animals
Online pet first aid course details
- Duration
- About 30 minutes, self-paced
- Format
- 100% online, self-paced on any device
- Access
- Course access emailed within 24 hours of purchase
- Certification
- Certificate of completion
How do I take a pet first aid course online?
Enroll through the secure Square checkout on this page and your course access is emailed within 24 hours. The Red Cross Cat and Dog First Aid course then runs entirely in your browser on any phone, tablet, or computer. You work through short video lessons and interactive scenarios at your own pace, and you download your certificate of completion as soon as you finish. There is no in-person session, no scheduling, and no skills test with a live animal, everything is online and self-paced.
How much does cat and dog first aid certification cost?
This online course is $50, paid once at checkout. That includes the full Red Cross pet first aid curriculum, self-paced access on any device, and your downloadable certificate of completion when you finish. There are no subscription fees or extra charges. For pet parents, that is a small price next to a single emergency vet visit, and for pet sitters and dog walkers it is a credential you can mention in every client conversation.
How long does the online pet first aid course take?
About 30 minutes of focused course time. It is one of the shortest courses we offer, which is intentional: the Red Cross designed it to give pet owners the core emergency skills without padding. Because it is self-paced, you can pause and resume whenever you like, but most students finish in a single sitting. Thirty minutes today is a fair trade for knowing what to do the day your dog starts choking.
Is pet first aid training worth it for pet sitters and dog walkers?
Yes, and honestly for any pet owner too. If you sit or walk pets professionally, clients are trusting you with a family member, and being able to say you have completed Red Cross Cat and Dog First Aid training sets you apart on platforms where everyone else lists only experience. For owners, the value shows up in the worst ten minutes of pet ownership: choking, poisoning, heatstroke, or a bleeding injury on a trail far from the car.
Does a pet first aid certificate expire?
Check the date on your certificate: the American Red Cross sets the terms, not us. What the Red Cross does state is two years of access to the course itself, so you can go back and review it any time in that window. Skills fade, and some clients or pet care platforms prefer recent training, so confirm with the programs you work with. A practical habit many pet professionals use: review the material every couple of years, or whenever you take on a new species or a pet with special medical needs.
Pet first aid vs human first aid: do I need both?
They cover genuinely different material. Animal anatomy changes how you check breathing, handle choking, and approach an injured animal that may bite out of pain, none of that is covered in a human first aid class. If you care for kids and pets, or you sit in homes with both, pairing this course with a human-focused course like Until Help Arrives gives you coverage for the whole household. Neither substitutes for the other.
Read the steps before you need them
Free step by step guides from our instructors, each with a short video, written from the 2026 RECOVER first aid guidelines.
- Pet first aid, step by stepPick your pet, then the emergency.Read
- Dog first aid, step by stepNormal vitals and every emergency guide.Read
- Cat first aid, step by stepNormal vitals and every emergency guide.Read
- Rabbit first aid, step by stepNormal vitals and every emergency guide.Read
- Pet bird first aid, step by stepNormal vitals and every emergency guide.Read
- How to do CPR on a dogNot breathing, not responding. 30 and 2, 100 to 120 a minute.Read
- What to do if your dog is chokingChoking or coughing? If choking, up to 5 back blows first.Read
- Foods toxic to dogs, and what to do if your dog ate oneChocolate by weight, grapes, xylitol.Read
- Dog heat stroke: the signs and how to cool a dog downAbove 104 F: cool running water, then the vet.Read
- Dog seizure: what to do during and afterTime it, hands off. Still going at 3 minutes? Go.Read
- Dog bloat: the signs and what to do right nowRetching, nothing comes up, tight belly: go to a vet now.Read
- Dog bleeding: how to stop it and when it is an emergencyPress, no peeking for 3 minutes, then add layers on top.Read
- Dog ate chocolate? Check how much is dangerousCalculator: danger by weight and chocolate type.Read
- Rabbit GI stasis: when your rabbit stops eating or poopingNo food or droppings? Call now. 12 hours is an emergency.Read
- How to pick up and hold a rabbit safelyOne hand under the chest, one under the rump, held close.Read
- Rabbit head tilt: what to do until you see the vetPad a small box, help it eat, call a rabbit vet today.Read
- Egg binding in birds: signs and what to doWarm carrier at 80 to 85 F, hands off the egg, vet now.Read
- Bird blood feather bleeding: what to doTowel wrap, gauze pressure 2 to 3 minutes, do not pull.Read
- Bird CPR: what to do if your bird is not breathingFumes? Fresh air first. Not breathing? Warmth, then a vet.Read
- How to do CPR on a catOne hand around the chest. 30 and 2, 100 to 120 a minute.Read
- What to do if your cat is chokingRare. Hairball, asthma or a real blockage.Read
- Foods and plants toxic to catsLilies first, then onions, garlic and pain pills.Read
- What to put in a pet first aid kitHome and trail checklists, and both poison line numbers.Read
- How to do CPR on a petDogs, cats, rabbits, birds: what is the same, what is not.Read
- What to do if your pet is chokingDogs and cats: up to 5 back blows. Others: vet now.Read
Keep the steps on your phone
PetAid, our pet first aid guide for iPhone. Step by step for dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, fish and reptiles. Free · App Store.
What is in the appFrequently asked questions
How do I get access to the course after I pay?
Is this cat and dog first aid course fully online?
Does the course cover both cats and dogs?
Do I need my pet with me to take the course?
What device do I need to take this online course?
Do I get a certificate when I finish?
More online safety courses
- Until Help Arrives online coursecore human first aid skills for the minutes before EMS arrives.Learn more
- First Aid for Severe Bleeding online coursebleeding control skills that work for trail and backyard injuries.Learn more
- Red Cross Babysitting Basics online coursefor sitters who care for kids as well as pets.Learn more
- Anaphylaxis and epinephrine auto-injector training onlinerecognize and respond to severe allergic reactions.Learn more
Ready to learn pet first aid?
Enroll below: checkout takes about a minute and your course access is emailed within 24 hours.