A dog breeder and trainer is campaigning to ensure that all pet professionals get a qualification in first aid.

Rebecca Walters runs Pupstarts Breeders in Oswestry, Shropshire, and is supporting the national Safe Pets and People Campaign which is calling for mandatory first aid qualifications for all UK pet professionals.

Alongside the likes of the RSPCA, and national qualification provider the iPET Network, Rebecca feels that it is time to level up pet professional industries and ensure that safety is paramount.

She said: "I have 14 active spaniels and gun dogs on site, so a week doesn't go by without some little scrape. To not have my first aid training doesn't bear thinking about.

"It is a matter of trust too for pet professionals. if you are paying someone to look after your dog you expect them to be competent and give them proper care."

The Safe Pets and People Campaign has recently launched an online petition, and Rebecca hopes that by helping to raise awareness more people will visit www.safepetsandpeople.org and sign it.

She said: "I find it staggering that first aid training isn't mandatory already and I'm sure that many people don't realise that their pet professionals don;t need to have it.

"I hope that people sign the petition and spread the word because this is a very important issue."

RSPCA head vet Jocelyn Toner said: “We advise that all professional dog walkers should have first aid training and we’d be supportive of any campaign to roll this out to include all individuals who work within the pet industry.

“Simple first aid skills could save a pet’s life or ensure an animal receives immediate care before they’re able to see a vet and we think it’s a wonderful idea that the Safe Pets and People Campaign wants all pet professionals - from groomers to breeders - to have basic first aid training.”

To find out more about Safe Pets and People visit www.safepetsandpeople.org
To find out more about Pupstarts go to www.pupstartsbreeders.com