Skamper-Ramp® is one of our advertisers and we love promoting their product. We received this press release and thought we should post it, since there is so much emphasis on dog health and safety given the current dog food crisis. The ramp by Skamper-Ramp is a great product and does save the lives of dogs and other animals. DoggyBling.com and Skamper-Ramp® donated four ramps to PAWS, our local rescue shelter and they were so excited. The director at PAWS said that they pull dead animals from swimming pools all too often. An article by Carrie Agnew will follow this press release. We appreciate Skamper-Ramps® commitment to dog safety. Click for details...
Charleston, SC: Skamper-Ramp® dba Skamper Industries, LLC manufacturer of the Skamper-Ramp® recently received the highly respected American Pet Association’s (APA) Seal of Approval for its water-escape ramp that prevents animals from drowning.
Founded in 1991, the APA is an “independent national humane organization dedicated to effectively promoting responsible pet ownership.” The organization offers programs and services to help pets coexist with their owners safely and in a humane environment.
The APA reviews pet products, testing them for reliability, ease of use, structural design integrity, durability and actual benefits to pets and/or their owners. The review is completely unbiased, allowing consumers to buy those products with the APA Seal of Approval with confidence. This is especially important for a unique new product like the Skamper-Ramp.
According to the APA, “Skamper-Ramp gives pet owners and animal lovers a means of safeguarding against unnecessary pet-panic in the water or death due to drowning. It gives them with peace-of-mind since the ramp allows animals to safely exit the water on their own, without any assistance.”
The APA went on to say “We are proud to give our Seal of Approval and recommend Skamper-Ramp to any pet owner with or living near water access, since pets are often considered important family members who require the same protection as young children. The fact that tens of thousands of pets drown every year is a testament to the need for a device like Skamper-Ramp and to be aware not only of the danger water can pose but also of steps owners can take to prevent this unnecessary and preventable form of death. We especially like the fact that the Skamper-Ramp works by itself, since so many drownings occur at night when owners are usually unavailable to help them.”
Skamper-Ramp is patented and available is two sizes, “regular” for animals under 45 lbs., and the Skamper-Ramp Big Dog™, which provides a safe, less stressful way for pets over 45 lbs. to exit a pool or for any size animal to get back on most docks and some boats.
Jay Waddell, managing partner of Skamper Industries, points out that the ramps are constructed entirely of box-corrugated, heavy duty plastic (polypropylene) giving them an extremely high strength-to-weight ratio. Polypropylene is highly durable, robust and chemical- and UV-resistant as well as cost-effective. The ramp works in part because it is white—the one color all living things can see and angles down into the water, placing it at their eye level.
Because Skamper Industries is devoted to pet safety and specifically pet water safety in pools, it is a member of the APPMA (American Pet Products Manufacturers Association), PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), APSP (Association of Pool and Spa Professionals) and an IPG (Independent Pool Group-Canada) product associate.
Skamper-Ramp has twice been honored as one of the “Top 50 Readers Choice Products” by Pool & Spa Magazine readers (2004 and 2006) and was selected as one of the “10 Lowcountry Innovators” by the Charleston Regional Business Journal.
Along with the APA, the ramp is endorsed by veterinarians across the United States and has been featured on a number of national television programs, including Good Morning America, The Early Show, and Animal Planet. It was one of only 11 products chosen to be included in the nationally syndicated Animal Radio show segment recorded during the SuperZoo pet show in Las Vegas last September. The product is also slated to appear on an upcoming HGTV Outdoor Living special on April 22, 2007.
Skamper Industries is a locally owned and operated company in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Established in 2003, their product is available through resellers, e-tailers and catalogues throughout the United States, Canada, the European Union, Cyprus, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. The firm is dedicated to the safety, health and well-being of all pets and other animals.
For more detailed product information, FAQs and retailer listings, visit www.skamper-ramp.com. For more information about the APA, visit www.apapets.org.
Pet Safety And Pools
By Carrie Agnew Every pet owner with a swimming pool knows that whether they want their animal in the water or not, their pet will probably end up in the pool at some point, even if involuntarily! Even if under constant supervision, things happen—animals are chased, doors are left open; accidents happen. With well over half of all households in North America owning at least one pet, the issue of water safety, especially around pools, is an important one that must be addressed. In fact, the pet safety category is one of the fastest growing in the pet industry. Products ranging from ID implants to safety gates to floatation vests abound. Over the past several years a number of articles have been published in newspapers and magazines across the country specifically on the subject of pet water safety. Specials/segments have been devoted to it on national television programs such as Animal Planet, Good Morning America and The Early Show, to name just a few. This is due to the fact that many popular pets drown every year in a backyard pool, spa or walled pond. And this figure doesn’t account for the tens of thousands of “critters” that suffer the same fate. While many pets love the water, others don’t. Most pet owners simply assume that all dogs “know” how to swim, but many do not and the first time they find themselves in a pool can be traumatic! All pool owners with a dog should introduce their animal to the water - gradually, in a non-threatening, supervised form. That way, even if the owner doesn’t want their dog swimming in the pool, at least if it falls or is chased in, their pet won’t immediately panic. Regardless of whether an animal has jumped or been chased in the water, how they get out can be a major issue. Many pet owners believe they can train their dog(s) to use the steps. But even this technique isn’t fool-proof, primarily because the dog can’t see the steps—they are under the water! In reality, the pet has a landmark—such as a plant, fence or tree—but at night or if in distress- that “learning” is quickly replaced by panic. Then there are all those frogs, squirrels, snakes and possums that manage to turn up in skimmer baskets after having fallen or been chased in the pool. The drowning problem is easily solved, but requires recognition of the importance of pets in their owner’s lives, the dangers posed by pools and awareness of the available solutions. Tens of millions of dollars are spent on pets each year. Why? Because these animals are thought of as/considered family members. In fact, many pet owners will not hesitate to take their animal to the vet at the slightest sign of illness or to purchase gifts and gadgets to entertain and/or dress them! Many hotels across the country have recognized this trend and register themselves as “Pet-Friendly.” A large number of pets, particularly dogs, enjoy swimming but even the youngest, strongest swimmers can panic if they can’t find their way out, get fatigued or distressed. They will instinctively head for the closest edge of the pool and start clawing their way around the edge, looking for the exit they remember is there, somewhere. For owners of vinyl-lined pools this is an extremely expensive problem, as the entire liner may have to be replaced or at least repaired if it is ripped or torn. Barking for help can cause throat damage to a dog. Since the animal will often swallow a good bit of water as it barks for help, the chemicals in the pool can damage its esophagus. Additionally, chlorine and algaecides can not only make a dog sick, but also cause coat and skin problems. So when it comes to keeping a pet safe, money isn’t the issue. Effectiveness is. Peace-of-mind is worth more than expense. To many people, the death of a pet is just as difficult to cope with as a human family member. The sense of acute loss and accompanying depression just as real. For pool and spa retailers it is good business sense to offer pet/animal safety products. The numbers—8.35 million pools, with over 400,000 new pools built every year and over 63% of households having pets—supports this. Customers turn to their pool service company for help when trying to address their concern for their animals. For some pet owners, this concern is not only for the safety of their animal, as mentioned earlier, but also for themselves and their children who have to deal with the “critters” that drown and are found floating in the pool in the morning. This often requires that the pool water be re-treated —another expensive process. The solution? Layers of protection. Many municipalities now require that pools be fenced in. But they aren’t fool-proof. The door can be left open or ajar. Animals will dig under or slither through them. Pool covers, especially soft ones, can be as dangerous as an open pool. Animals get caught and can slide underneath and then are unable to get out, resulting in either suffocation or drowning. Floatation vests are a viable option; however, like water alarms (water sensitive devices that attach to the animal’s collar) they require that the pet owner be home to help the animal actually get out of the pool. Another safety alternative is a water-escape device such as Skamper-Ramp®, which was designed to prevent pets and animals from drowning by allowing them to exit the water on their own. Fabricated from heavy duty plastic, it comes in two sizes: Skamper-Ramp for animals under 45 lbs. and Skamper-Ramp Big Dog™ for pets over 45 lbs. Suitable for most docks and boats, this device is UV- and chemical-resistant, lightweight (1.5 lbs and: 2.75 lbs. respectively), robust and extremely durable. The product works on the premise that all living things see white. Animals see the ramp breaking the water’s surface and leading out of the pool or back onto the boat or dock. Whether used pool-side or attached to the stern of a boat or to a dock, Skamper-Ramp provides pets and animals with a stress-free means of getting out of the water all by themselves and their owner with peace-of-mind, knowing their pet will be able to take care of itself if it becomes panicked. Skamper-Ramp is sold worldwide and has twice been selected as one of the “Top 50 Products” in a leading U.S. pool trade publication’s “Readers Choice” awards (2004; 2006). The product has been featured as one of the 'hot new pet products of Good Morning America, The Early Show, Animal Planet, and is currently scheduled to be featured on an HGTV “Outdoor Living Expo” special in late April, 2007. More information can be found at www.skamper-ramp.com
Carrie Agnew is a partner of and the marketing director for Skamper Industries LLC of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. The company manufactures Skamper-Ramp®, a patented water escape device for animals.
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