By Sally Voth -- Daily Staff Writer

EDINBURG — Cats may have nine lives, but that doesn't mean they might not need a little help from their human friends from time to time.

The same goes for dogs.

Owners who want to be able to help their furry companions in an emergency can take a pet first-aid class at the old Edinburg school 6-9 p.m. Wednesday.

The class is being offered by the Shenandoah County chapter of the American Red Cross, the Shenandoah County Animal Shelter and the county's Parks and Recreation Department.

The class will deal with the symptoms and treatments for common emergencies and ailments, what should go into a pet first-aid kit, how to prepare for disasters and ways to keep your pet healthy, according to a news release from the Red Cross.

"It's a good class to kind of help pet owners in an emergency situation," Parks and Recreation Director Pam Sheets said. "I'm a pet owner, and I have two cats right now, and they're like — everybody says they're like — children, and that's really how they are."

The first-aid class ties in well with the puppy kindergarten and basic dog obedience classes the county already offers, she said.

Participants should leave Fluffy and Fido at home, though.

"This is going to be a human class, and they do have animal dummies to work on," Sheets said.

The $47 class fee includes a first-aid book for dogs or cats, plus a DVD, said Sharon Baroncelli, the executive director of the Shenandoah County chapter of the American Red Cross. She said six people have signed up so far.

"I found [out about the class], so I said, let's do this because I know pets are so important to their owners here in the county," Baroncelli said. "Pets are so much a part of our disaster planning, too."

The Red Cross sells pet first-aid kits for $17, according to the news release.

The deadline to register for the class is Tuesday, Sheets said. To register, call 459-2913, or visit www.shenandoahcountyredcross.org.

* Contact Sally Voth at svoth@nvdaily.com