MelissaAll of us who live in hot climates combat the scorching heat outdoors with portable air conditioners. We use them when we are out with our friends and loved ones, and we even attach a fan to the stroller. But what about the pets?
When we walk our dog, it’s wonderful to feel the cool breeze of a fan on the back of our neck. But now there are portable fans for dogs and cats, so our beloved pets can feel cooling relief when they are out with us.
Wearable fans for pets are a new way to keep pets cool. Instead of frolicking in the sprinkler or parking in front of the air conditioner, pets may wear “air-conditioned clothing” called COOL DOG equipped with a fan.
Tokyo-based clothing company Sweet Mommy has developed a new way to keep pets cool. Instead of frolicking in the sprinkler or parking in front of the air conditioner, Sweet Mommy has developed “air-conditioned pet clothing” called COOL DOG.
Actually, cats can wear it, too. The device is a portable fan that can be strapped to a pet’s back and designed to provide cool relief while on a walk. It is powered by two AAA batteries and weighs about three ounces.
In an interview with the South China Morning Post, inventor Rei Uzawa says the batteries should last for three months, provided you walk your dog for 10 minutes twice a day. The fan is attached to a dog mesh shirt, which then circulates air around the animal’s body.
Uzawa admitted that her own Chihuahua, which struggled to walk in the summer due to the heat, served as inspiration. Although Uzawa says there are many cold packs that can be placed around the dog’s neck, they often don’t last long.
The fan for pets was designed to be quiet, not catch fluffy dogs, and be “less cumbersome” for small dogs. The mesh garment is available in five sizes for small to medium-sized dogs and is made of cooling, breathable fabric.
In addition to the mesh shirt, there’s also an adorable kimono-like outer layer. Uzawa said wearable air-conditioned clothing for humans, like the Sony Reon Pocket, was also a source of inspiration.
Mami Kumamoto, who owns a miniature poodle named Purin and a terrier named Moco, said she has tried cooling her pets with dry ice during walks. “But with this fan, it’s easier to walk my dogs,” she told Reuters.
The pets’ fan was launched in July 2022 and costs 9,900 yen, the equivalent of about $74, but it appears to be exclusive to Japan. ONEKOSAMA have a mission to make all cats and dogs happy and donate 1% of the profits from their products to animal welfare groups.
