Multiple uses for a popular first aid kit for sporting dogs has led to the introduction of a new belt pack by Show-Me Animal Products.
The Sport Dog Kit™, popular with everyone from hunters to law enforcement professionals, has been available since 1997 in natural brown and hunter orange belt packs and the popular snap lock, hardshell case. New for 2000 is the red belt pack designed for hikers, packers and others who want to be prepared to care for an active dog that could be injured.
Originally designed for hunters, Sport Dog Kit™ includes VSI's usually comprehensive array of first aid contents, from real steel scissors to full-strength antiseptics. Like all Show-Me Animal Products for horses and pets, it contains a weatherproof, comprehensive Care Card instruction booklet and even CPR instructions. Sport Dog Kit also includes heavy-duty additions for more serious injuries, including gunshot wounds.
"It's surprising how often hunters and others in the field are faced with a serious injury to their dog," noted Randy Hylton, executive director of Vocational Services. "Having an easy-to-carry first aid kit can be a life-and-death issue for their dog."
Like all VSI's Show-Me Animal Products, Sport Dog Kit™ is not intended to replace professional veterinary care. It was designed with input from both professional veterinarians and pet lovers with the goal of caring for minor injuries in the field or stabilizing more serious injuries so the animal can be transported to professional care.
Another aspect to the story is also important. Vocational Services, Inc., is a Liberty, Mo., not-for-profit corporation that provides employment and other opportunities for individuals with a developmental disability. A 30-year-old organization, VSI began Show-Me Animal Products in 1993 in order to expand and ensure opportunities as traditional jobs were increasingly lost to international competition. A major "by-product" has been the enjoyment that workers receive when their handiwork is on display at pet stores and other locations.
"It's important that we constantly look for new and expanded opportunities for our employees," he said. "Products such as Sport Dog Kit™ are an excellent way to create jobs for workers with a disability. The more opportunity we create through our own efforts, the more opportunity we can offer, regardless of global economics or other factors. In today's economy, that's the best way for us to serve the community."
Sport Dog Kit™ is available individually or in dealer
groups for shops and clubs. For additional information, call (816)
781-9300 or 1-800-831-7245, or visit www.petfirstaid.org on the
Internet.
