August 10, 2020
By Thom Somes, President and Co-Founder of Pet Tech
Executive Overview
Every year, millions of pet owners experience the gut-wrenching panic of a medical emergency involving their beloved cats or dogs. From choking hazards and sudden poisonings to heatstroke and severe allergic reactions, the gap between a pet experiencing a crisis and receiving professional veterinary care can easily mean the difference between life and death. For decades, emergency pet care was viewed exclusively through the reactive lens of veterinary clinics and emergency animal hospitals. However, a quiet revolution in preventative pet care has been taking shape, pioneered by an organization that dared to ask a simple, transformative question: What if pet parents themselves were equipped with the life-saving skills needed before an emergency ever reaches the veterinary clinic?
Enter Pet Tech, the world’s first international training center dedicated to pet CPR, first aid, and emergency care. Founded by Thom Somes—affectionately known across the industry as "The Pet Safety Guy"—and his co-founders, the organization has spent years redefining what it means to be a responsible pet parent and pet care professional.
At the heart of Pet Tech’s sprawling operational philosophy is a bold, ambitious, and seemingly insurmountable rallying cry: "Prevent 1 Million Pet ER Visits™." While skeptics might view such a milestone as mere marketing hyperbole, the organization has steadily turned vision into reality. Even amidst the unprecedented disruptions of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Pet Tech officially crossed a remarkable milestone: training over 170,000 students worldwide in pet CPR and first aid, achieving more than 17% of its monumental goal.
This comprehensive report explores the origins of Pet Tech, the philosophy driving its mission to "Improve the Quality of Pets’ Lives, One Pet Parent at a Time™," the mechanics behind their life-saving educational framework, and the broader cultural shift toward proactive animal welfare in the 21st century.
Detailed Chronology: From a Single Question to a Global Movement
Every significant paradigm shift begins with a moment of observation—a question whispered or shouted into a void where others see only status quo. For Thom Somes, the journey to establishing Pet Tech did not begin in a corporate boardroom or a veterinary lecture hall; it began with the recognition of a glaring vulnerability in how society protects its companion animals.
The Inception Phase: Recognizing the Opportunity
Long before pet wellness was a multi-billion-dollar global industry, companion animals were treated primarily as property rather than integral members of the modern family. When medical emergencies struck, owners were largely left helpless, entirely dependent on geography, traffic, and the speed of an emergency veterinary response team.
Somes recalls that Pet Tech was born out of a single, fundamental question—one that many contemporaries might have dismissed as impractical or unnecessary. Instead of ignoring the possibility, Somes recognized a profound market and humanitarian opportunity: Why shouldn’t everyday pet parents know how to perform CPR or administer emergency first aid to their pets, just as humans do for one another?
This realization catalyzed the formation of Pet Tech. While traditional veterinary medicine focused heavily on diagnosis and clinical treatment, Pet Tech carved out a completely new niche: emergency preparedness and first-response education tailored specifically for non-veterinarians, including pet parents, groomers, kennel operators, dog walkers, and shelter staff.
Scaling Up and International Expansion
As the organization matured, it transitioned from a local training initiative into the premier international training center for pet safety. Through a rigorous network of certified instructors, Pet Tech developed standardized, comprehensive curricula covering everything from basic vital signs and snout-to-tail assessments to advanced rescue breathing, choking management, and disaster planning.
The growth of the company was underpinned by a stubborn adherence to quality and real-world applicability. Rather than relying solely on dry lectures, Pet Tech pioneered hands-on, tactile learning models, utilizing specialized canine and feline manikins that allowed students to practice chest compressions, artificial respiration, and choking relief techniques safely and effectively.
By fostering a community of passionate educators and dedicated advocates, Pet Tech transcended national borders, establishing a standard of care that resonated deeply with pet lovers across the globe.
Supporting Context & Metrics: The Mathematics of Saving Lives
To truly understand the impact of Pet Tech, one must examine the metrics that drive its daily operations. In the world of public health and safety advocacy, setting numerical targets is essential for measuring efficacy, accountability, and long-term viability.
The "1 Million Pet ER Visits" Framework
The cornerstone of Pet Tech’s modern identity is its mission to Prevent 1 Million Pet ER Visits™. At first glance, the figure is staggering. However, the organization approaches this goal through a direct, measurable equation rooted in preventative action: Every student trained equates to one potential pet ER visit prevented.
When individuals are educated in pet first aid, their behavioral posture toward pet ownership shifts dramatically:
- Hazard Awareness: Trained pet parents are significantly better at identifying household hazards (such as toxic foods, dangerous plants, and choking hazards) before an accident occurs.
- Early Intervention: Recognizing the subtle early warning signs of distress allows owners to mitigate minor issues before they cascade into full-blown medical emergencies.
- Calm Under Pressure: In the event of an actual emergency, panic often wastes precious minutes. Trained individuals execute established protocols calmly, stabilizing the animal during transport or mitigating trauma entirely through immediate first aid.
Navigating the COVID-19 Milestone
Achieving milestones requires resilience, a reality tested globally by the COVID-19 pandemic. As lockdowns swept across nations and social distancing protocols forced businesses to reinvent their operations, many educational enterprises saw their numbers plummet.
Yet, as Somes highlights, Pet Tech managed to push past a monumental threshold despite these headwinds. By adapting instructional formats, emphasizing safety, and leveraging digital engagement, the organization officially surpassed 170,000 students trained in pet CPR and first aid—crossing the 17% mark toward their ultimate goal. This resilience demonstrates not only the robust demand for pet safety education but also the unwavering dedication of Pet Tech’s instructor network.
Official Statements and Philosophy: "Improving the Quality of Pets’ Lives"
At the helm of this international movement is Thom Somes, whose professional credentials span decades of advocacy, public speaking, authorship, and entrepreneurial leadership. Known widely as "The Pet Safety Guy," Somes brings a unique blend of professional authority and genuine affection for animals to his work.
A Vision Rooted in Empathy
In outlining the core ethos of the organization, Somes emphasizes that Pet Tech’s mission extends far beyond mechanical instruction. It is fundamentally about deepening the bond between humans and their animals.
"Pet Tech really did start with one question. It was one question that some people would have not taken seriously, or not even considered as a possibility; instead, it was someone like me who saw an OPPORTUNITY!" Somes explains. "One of our Pet Tech goals is to ‘Prevent 1 Million Pet ER Visits™,’ which is a lofty goal, BUT we are over 17% of the way as of COVID. That is, we have trained over 170,000 students in Pet CPR and First Aid. That impresses me! We also believe that every student we train prevents 1 Pet ER Visit. And we do have several other beliefs that help us in our mission of ‘Improving the Quality of Pets’ Lives, One Pet Parent at a Time™.’"
The Man Behind the Mission
As President and Co-Founder, Somes has cultivated a multifaceted identity within the pet care industry. As a best-selling author, sought-after speaker, and self-described "futurist," he consistently looks ahead to anticipate the changing needs of pet owners in an evolving society. Moreover, his personal life mirrors his professional dedication—he is a devoted pet parent and a proud "grandpaw" to his oldest son’s cat, reinforcing the reality that his commitment to animal welfare is both a vocation and a lifestyle.
Future Outlook: The Next Horizon in Pet Safety Education
As society continues to place greater emotional and financial investment in companion animals, the landscape of pet care is undergoing a profound transformation. Pets are no longer viewed merely as backyard guardians or casual housemates; they are recognized as full-fledged family members whose health, mental well-being, and safety command the highest standards of care.
Expanding Digital and Hybrid Learning Models
Looking toward the future, Pet Tech is positioned to capitalize on the digital acceleration catalyzed by the pandemic. While hands-on tactile practice remains irreplaceable when learning CPR and rescue breathing, hybrid educational models—combining digital instructional theory with rigorous, in-person practical assessments—will allow Pet Tech to scale its training capacity faster than ever before.
Integration with Veterinary Networks
Another promising frontier for Pet Tech is deeper collaboration with traditional veterinary medicine. Historically, some clinical practitioners viewed first-aid training outside of formal veterinary schools with skepticism. However, modern veterinarians increasingly recognize that well-informed pet parents make better partners in animal healthcare. By stabilizing patients or recognizing distress early, trained owners reduce the burden on overcrowded emergency veterinary clinics while improving overall patient outcomes.
The Path to One Million
Reaching 170,000 trained students is an extraordinary achievement, but the journey toward 1 million remains a marathon. To bridge the remaining gap, Pet Tech is focusing heavily on corporate partnerships within the pet care industry—collaborating with major pet retail chains, grooming franchises, boarding facilities, and municipal animal shelters to mandate or encourage comprehensive first-aid certification for all staff members.
Furthermore, public awareness campaigns continue to demystify pet emergencies. By normalizing the idea that every pet owner should possess basic life-saving skills—much like human CPR certification is encouraged in schools and workplaces—Pet Tech is shifting cultural norms around pet ownership on a global scale.
Conclusion
The story of Pet Tech is a testament to the power of a single, visionary question. What began as an unconventional observation about the lack of emergency preparedness among pet owners has blossomed into a global movement that has already impacted hundreds of thousands of lives.
Through the tireless leadership of Thom Somes and the dedicated community of instructors and students worldwide, Pet Tech has proven that compassion, when paired with structured education, can alter the trajectory of animal welfare. As the organization marches steadily toward its goal of preventing one million pet ER visits, it leaves behind a legacy defined not just by numbers, but by the countless tail wags, quiet purrs, and saved lives that exist simply because someone cared enough to learn what to do when every second counts.
For those looking to support the ongoing mission of Pet Tech—or simply seeking high-quality, USA-made liver treats to spoil their own furry family members—the organization continues to advocate for pet health and happiness at every turn, reminding us all that better care starts with proactive education.
