At Random Acts, we are committed to supporting initiatives that make a real difference in the lives of those who serve our communities, including our four-legged heroes. That is why we were proud to promote the Anna 4 Paws mission, an incredible effort dedicated to providing life-saving resources to working canine teams at no cost to the receiving agencies.
First Aid Training for Working Canine Teams
On July 16 and 17, 2024, Random Acts staff launched a new partnership with Anna 4 Paws, a non-profit that provides free canine-specific first aid training and veterinarian-maintained first aid kits to working canine teams. Staff members Amanda Tucker and Monique Lowe were on hand to observe one of these events in person as twenty canine handlers from Alabama and Georgia gathered in Birmingham, AL for the no-cost training.
Anna 4 Paws’ veterinarian led the first aid course, which covered a nose-to-tail review of canine anatomy and urgent pre-hospital care should their four-legged partners become injured in the line of duty. For the second half of the training, theory was put into practice. Riverview Animal Clinic in Birmingham brought four very well-behaved canines: Petey, Rainy, Gunner, and Bellatrix. The canines played the role of patients while the handlers practiced wound care, handling techniques, temperature regulation, and proper use of first aid items.
After the training, each handler was provided with their own canine-specific first aid kit. The kits are meant to be kept with the dogs throughout their working career, even if handlers change. Anna 4 Paws ensures each canine team receiving a kit is matched with a local veterinarian who agrees to keep the bags maintained at no cost. Riverview agreed to partner with Anna 4 Paws to make sure the handlers at this event were covered permanently.
Random Acts Staff’s On-hand Experience
Monique, a long-time dog owner, was moved by the event and affirmed the importance of Anna 4 Paws’ mission. When Adrian Thompson, co-founder of Anna 4 Paws and a career canine handler, opened the talk with stories of canines who had been injured in the line of duty, she admitted to becoming emotional. “The examples of things that went wrong and how they could have been prevented really hurt to see. There is a very serious undertone here. This work is important,” said Monique.
Amanda reiterated this sentiment. She was shocked to learn that while agencies properly budget for the costs associated with the purchase of and daily care for the canine units, they don’t always have the funding to purchase canine first aid kits for the teams. She is proud that Random Acts is able to partner with Anna 4 Paws: “We recognize the important work Anna 4 Paws is doing to fill a need that most people don’t know exists.”
Monique noted that the most interesting takeaway from the training was the fact that, like humans, dogs have a blood type and that it is essential for their handler to know what it is so they can inform the vet hospital in an emergency situation. “It normally takes ten minutes to test the blood for type and another 30 minutes to warm it and get it ready for transfusion. That’s a lot of lost time when you might be able to have that information in advance and call it in on the way.”
Anna 4 Paws’ veterinarian, who traveled from New Orleans to be there, shared another similarity between canines and humans: blood donors. Her hospital keeps a list of dogs who can come in and donate blood when needed.
Pay It Forward
Even as the event wound down, Amanda and Monique spent time speaking with the handlers about Random Acts and how they can spread kindness in their communities moving forward. This is the magic of what we do and why partnerships like this are important. We want to see each recipient of Anna 4 Paws’ generosity take their acts of kindness and pay them forward. That is how you change the world, one act of kindness at a time.
If you want to support this ongoing partnership with Anna 4 Paws, Random Acts has set up a permanent campaign for one-time and repeat donors. We want to see many canine teams benefit from the important work they are doing. https://give.randomacts.org/A4P
