When Amy D’Andrea launched Pet Emergency Education in 2013, she wasn’t looking to become a business owner — she just wanted to fill a gap.
After nearly two decades teaching veterinary science at the college level, D’Andrea was invited to co-teach a local CPR course. The twist? It wasn’t for people. It was for pets.
“I realized pet owners and caregivers had so many great questions — and very few places to get real, medically accurate answers,” she says. That one class became two. Then five. Then a business.
This commitment to education and empowerment aligns perfectly with DreamHost’s mission to provide accessible and reliable web solutions. This allows D’Andrea, a passionate advocate for pet care, to share her critical pet emergency knowledge globally.
Helping People Help Pets
Today, Pet Emergency Education is a nationally recognized training provider, with over a decade of experience, a growing catalog of courses, and a deeply mission-driven approach. Because D’Andrea is a certified veterinary technician, the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) qualifies her and her company as an official educational provider for veterinary professionals. Their curriculum is reviewed and approved by the vet board ensuring every class meets current industry standards.
That credibility has helped them connect with dog trainers, pet sitters, animal shelter staff, and even doggy daycare teams — some of whom now include pet CPR and first aid certification as part of their onboarding.
“We’ve had people say ‘I never thought about this until something happened,” D’Andrea says. “Our goal is to change that — before the emergency.”
Pivoting to Online and Growing Fast
As demand for pet safety grew — and her own passion for education deepened — so did the opportunity to scale that knowledge. She and husband, Greg D’Andrea, launched Pet Emergency Education with the goal of teaching pet CPR and first aid in person.
The company began with in-person classes at shelters and pet care centers. Then came 2020.
“When Covid hit, everything changed. For us, it was the catalyst to go fully online,” she explains. “We already had the curriculum, and I had a background in instructional technology. It just made sense.”
Using a learning management system integrated into their website, D’Andrea and Greg D’Andrea (who manages operations and logistics) expanded their catalog to six detailed, self-paced courses. But as their site grew, so did the technical problems.
To meet demand, the team invested in a new learning management system, recorded in-depth video tutorials, and created online self-paced courses for pet professionals, dog trainers, sitters, and animal lovers alike. The problem? Their original hosting platform couldn’t keep up.
“We were growing quickly — and the tech wasn’t keeping up with us. Slow page loads, incomplete quizzes, support tickets every day… It was affecting our customers’ experience.”
That’s when they made the switch.
“We trusted DreamHost with our entire livelihood,” she says. “And it’s made a huge difference.”
Finding Stability with DreamHost
Initially, Pet Emergency Education offered only in-person training. As their online presence expanded, they strategically separated their business into two distinct components: The Academy, dedicated to virtual training, and Education, focusing on in-person classes.
However, recognizing the future lies in online education, especially with advancements in AI, D’Andrea shifted her focus to their digital platforms.
“DreamHost introduced us to a few AI sites to help us with our reference materials, website content, and now we’re able to put our own branded content out there.”
With the Pet Emergency Academy website hosted by DreamHost, they can now achieve their goal of international expansion. Amy D’Andrea, who personally manages the website, shares her enthusiasm for it.
“I manage the website myself because I love it. I am fascinated by technology, by all these plugins and what they can do, but needed assistance from a developer to help our international customers purchase in their own currency. We do have many in Australia, the United Kingdom, and some other countries.”
The switch to DreamPress Pro, DreamHost’s managed WordPress hosting plan, brought about a dramatic drop in technical issues and a huge boost in peace of mind for the team.
“Everything just works,” D’Andrea says. “We don’t have to worry about the site. That means we can just focus on teaching and saving lives.”
With DreamShield enabled, D’Andrea and her team also know their content — and their learners — are protected from threats. DreamHost’s reliable uptime and fast support have been key to their ongoing success, ensuring that their on-demand classes are always accessible.
“Our on-demand classes are self-paced… that’s why I love how smooth our learning management system is with DreamHost because it remains convenient for our customers to fit their schedule.”
This seamless online experience has allowed Pet Emergency Education to not only expand their reach but also to continuously evolve their teaching methods.
Expanding Impact
What started as a one-woman training class is now a full educational academy, with a homeschool curriculum, a retail store, and plans to reach international learners next.
And of course, every course is still built on the same foundation:
Empowering people to protect and care for animals – before the emergency happens.
“If just one person takes our class and saves one animal, that’s a win,” D’Andrea says. “But we’ve already seen so much more than that.”
See the Site in Action!
Visit Pet Emergency Education for accredited courses and homeschool-ready tools. As a pet owner, or if you know someone who is, these resources are invaluable!