It comes in five different sizes and is priced at ¥9,900
Tokyo:
A Tokyo clothing manufacturer has teamed up with vets to create a pet fan, hoping to attract anxious dog – or cat – owners who can’t shake off their fur coats in the Japanese summer .
The device consists of an 80-gram (3-ounce) battery-operated fan that is attached to a mesh suit and blows air around an animal’s body.
Rei Uzawa, president of maternity wear maker Sweet Mommy, says she was motivated to create it after seeing her own pet chihuahua exhausted every time she took her out for a walk in the scorching summer heat.
“There was almost no rainy season this year, so the hot days came early, and in that sense, I think we developed a product that is right for the market,” he said.
After the rainy season in Tokyo ended at the end of June, the Japanese capital suffered the longest heat wave on record with temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) for nine days.
“I usually use dry ice packs (to keep the dog cool). But I think it’s easier to walk my dog if we have this fan,” said Mami Kumamoto, 48, who owns a miniature poodle named Pudding and a terrier named Maco.
The device debuted in early July, and Sweet Mommy has received about 100 orders for the product, Uzawa said. It comes in five different sizes and is priced at ¥9,900 ($74).