Learn how to plan for disaster!

Disaster Preparedness for Pet-Care Professionals is an online certificate program that was designed by Pet Safety Crusader™ Denise Fleck with Pet Sitters International. Ideal for pet sitters at all stages of business, this updated course concisely focuses on proactive steps professional pet sitters and dog walkers can take to potentially prevent, or at least mitigate, the severity of man-made and natural disasters that may occur around pets. Training, your written emergency plan, practice drills, and what to have on hand for both pets and people are emphasized.

This course has been approved for 3 CEUs for CPPS-Certified Professional Pet Sitters.

What you need to know about disaster preparedness for pet sitters...in one course!


When you sign up for Disaster Preparedness for Pet-Care Professionals, you will get immediate access to this nearly 3-hour course. The program is conducted through a series of easy-to-follow video tutorials, which can be completed at your own pace. You will have access to the course for one year.

This five-section online course will teach you how to prepare, react and help pets recover from disasters, and it also provides tips for specific emergencies. (Full curriculum outline available at the bottom of this page.)

Pet sitters who successfully complete this course and pass the final exam will be able to:

  • Download a Certificate of Completion for Disaster Preparedness for Pet-Care Professionals.
  • Download a Disaster Preparedness badge for their website.
  • Have the Disaster Planning icon added to their profiles on PSI's Pet Sitter Locator (PSI members).
  • Receive 3 CEUs (CPPS-Certified Professional Pet Sitters).

Please note: After one (1) year you will no longer have access to your course or course materials, including your certificate of completion (so be sure to download it).

While not required for the completion of this course, PSI highly recommends students purchase The Pet Safety Crusader's My Pet & Me Guide to Disaster PAWparedness as a companion guide. The Pet Safety Crusader’s My Pet & Me Guide to Disaster PAWparedness is an invaluable resource to aid in your retention of the material presented in this course and is an excellent tool for you to refer back to when disaster strikes.




Sign up for the course

3 hours of video training

This course has five sections with approx. three hours of video training on topics ranging from creating your disaster plan to conducting practice drills to responding to specific disasters.

Exam to test your knowledge

At the end of this course, you will complete a 43-question comprehension assessment. Upon successful completion, you will be able to download your certificate and website badge.

Certificate, badge and icon

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to download a certificate of completion as well as a badge you can add to your website. PSI members also get an icon added to their PSI Pet Sitter Locator.

Course Curriculum


  Welcome
Available in days
days after you enroll
  Section 1: What is Pet Disaster Preparedness and Where Can Emergencies Occur?
Available in days
days after you enroll
  Section 2: Preparation to Get You READY
Available in days
days after you enroll
  Section 3: Steps to Help You REACT
Available in days
days after you enroll
  Section 4: How to Help Pets RECOVER
Available in days
days after you enroll
  Section 5: Tips for Specific Emergencies
Available in days
days after you enroll
  Exam and Final Steps
Available in days
days after you enroll