August 10, 2020
By Thom Somes, President and Co-Founder of Pet Tech

Executive Overview

For decades, the bond between humans and their animal companions has deepened into a profound familial relationship. Pets are no longer viewed merely as property or working animals; they sleep in our beds, celebrate milestones with us, and serve as central pillars of our emotional well-being. Yet, despite this cultural shift toward treating pets as true family members, a dangerous knowledge gap has historically persisted: what happens when the unthinkable occurs? When a beloved dog chokes on a toy, a cat ingests a toxic household plant, or an animal stops breathing during a weekend afternoon, the immediate response of the average pet parent has traditionally been sheer panic, followed by a frantic, high-speed dash to the nearest emergency veterinary hospital.

Enter Pet Tech. Founded on a deceptively simple question that many dismissed as impractical, the organization has evolved into the world’s first international training center dedicated exclusively to pet CPR, first aid, and emergency care. Under the leadership of President and Co-Founder Thom Somes—affectionately known across the industry as "The Pet Safety Guy"—Pet Tech has pioneered a global movement.

At the heart of this movement lies a staggering, visionary objective: "Prevent 1 Million Pet ER Visits."

While skeptics might view such a milestone as an unreachable marketing slogan, the numbers tell a compelling story of tangible impact. As of the global disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pet Tech has successfully trained more than 170,000 students worldwide in vital pet CPR and first aid protocols, achieving over 17% of its monumental goal. Operating under the core philosophy that every trained student directly prevents at least one unnecessary, costly, and terrifying emergency room visit, Pet Tech is steadily executing its broader mission: “Improving the Quality of Pets’ Lives, One Pet Parent at a Time.”

This comprehensive report examines the origins of Pet Tech, the meticulous methodology behind its educational framework, the metrics validating its life-saving crusade, official insights from its leadership, and the future outlook for pet safety in a post-pandemic world.

Detailed Chronology: From a Single Spark to a Global Movement

Every industry-defining innovation begins with an inflection point—a moment where a visionary recognizes a glaring void in the status quo and refuses to accept the standard limitations. For Thom Somes, that moment arrived not through a corporate boardroom strategy, but through a fundamental observation about how humanity treats its animal companions.

The Inception: Spotting Opportunity Where Others Saw Impossibility

In the early days of pet care advocacy, standard veterinary medicine focused heavily on clinical treatment, surgeries, and pharmaceuticals. While emergency veterinary clinics existed, proactive community-level education regarding what a pet parent should do before reaching the veterinarian was virtually nonexistent. When Somes first posed the foundational questions that would spark the creation of Pet Tech, critics and traditionalists questioned whether laypeople possessed the capacity or the need to learn advanced emergency care techniques for animals.

Rather than being deterred, Somes recognized a massive, unaddressed opportunity. He understood that human CPR and first aid training were widely accepted societal norms—taught in schools, workplaces, and community centers—yet animals, who face comparable choking, cardiac, and trauma risks, were left entirely unprotected outside of a clinical setting.

Building the Infrastructure

Bridging the gap between human first aid and veterinary science required the creation of an entirely new educational paradigm. Somes, alongside his co-founders and veterinary advisors, set out to design a curriculum that was rigorous enough for professional groomers, trainers, and kennel operators, yet accessible enough for everyday pet parents.

This resulted in the establishment of Pet Tech as the premier international training center for pet CPR and first aid. The organization developed specialized manikins, comprehensive instructional manuals, and a standardized certification process. By empowering individuals with hands-on tactile experience, Pet Tech removed the paralyzing fear of the unknown, replacing it with muscle memory, confidence, and decisive action.

Navigating the Pandemic Era

As the world shifted dramatically with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the vulnerability of pets came into sharper focus. With millions of people working remotely and adopting new companion animals to cope with isolation, the potential for household pet emergencies rose exponentially. True to its resilient foundation, Pet Tech adapted its delivery methods, leveraging digital platforms—such as the landmark presentations and video features spearheaded by Somes—to ensure that safety education continued uninterrupted during a time of global uncertainty.

Supporting Context & Metrics: The Mathematics of Saving Lives

To understand the true magnitude of Pet Tech’s mission, one must analyze the data driving the organization. Metrics in pet safety are notoriously difficult to quantify because preventing an incident means measuring something that did not happen. However, Pet Tech utilizes a rigorous foundational metric to track its success.

The "One Student, One ER Visit" Hypothesis

Pet Tech operates under a core operating metric: Every student trained in Pet CPR and First Aid prevents, on average, one pet ER visit.

At first glance, this might appear to be an ambitious theoretical assumption. However, when evaluated against the practical realities of pet ownership, the logic holds firm. Consider the common emergencies that prompt terrifying midnight trips to the veterinary ER:

• Choking: An animal obstructs its airway with a bone, toy, or foreign object. Without immediate canine or feline Heimlich maneuver techniques, panic ensues, leading to hypoxia and an emergency rush.
• Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (GDV) or Bloat: Recognizing the early warning signs of distress and knowing how to stabilize or transport the animal safely can mean the difference between life and death.
• Minor Traumas and Bleeding: Knowing how to properly apply a pressure bandage or tourniquet stops uncontrolled blood loss at home, turning a panicked crisis into a manageable event until professional care is reached.
• Poisoning and Ingestion: Recognizing signs of toxicity and knowing not to induce vomiting in specific scenarios prevents secondary internal trauma.

By equipping pet parents with the skills to handle these crises effectively on-site, or to recognize when an issue is truly a non-emergency requiring scheduled care, Pet Tech actively diverts unnecessary, high-stress, and financially burdensome visits away from crowded veterinary facilities.

Reaching the 17% Milestone

Reaching 170,000+ trained students marks a monumental threshold for the organization. Achieving over 17% of the ultimate "1 Million Pet ER Visits" goal demonstrates that pet safety education has moved past the fringes of the animal care industry and into the mainstream consciousness.

Official Perspectives: The Philosophy of Thom Somes

At the core of Pet Tech’s corporate identity is the voice and vision of its President and Co-Founder, Thom Somes. Known throughout the community as "The Pet Safety Guy," Somes brings a unique blend of corporate futurism, entrepreneurial drive, and deep-seated compassion for animals to his work.

In his foundational video presentations, Somes frequently emphasizes that the genesis of Pet Tech was rooted in refusing to accept standard industry limitations.

"Pet Tech really did start with one question," Somes explains. "It was one question that some people would not have taken seriously, or not even considered as a possibility. Instead, it was someone like me who saw an OPPORTUNITY!"

This relentless optimism defines Somes’ leadership style. Rather than viewing the "1 Million Pet ER Visits" goal as an impossible corporate quota, he frames it as a moral imperative. Furthermore, Somes maintains that the organization’s overarching philosophy extends far beyond emergency response:

"Our mission is encapsulated in a simple truth: Improving the quality of pets’ lives, one pet parent at a time."

As a speaker, best-selling author, futurist, and proud pet parent—as well as a "grandpaw" to his oldest son’s cat—Somes bridges the gap between high-level strategic planning and deeply personal, day-to-day animal husbandry. His advocacy reminds pet owners that love alone is not always enough in an emergency; love must be backed by education, preparedness, and practical skill.

Future Outlook: The Next Horizon in Pet Safety

As Pet Tech looks beyond the milestones achieved during the turbulent years of the 2020 pandemic, the roadmap for the future is marked by technological integration, expanded global accessibility, and deeper community outreach.

Expanding Digital and Hybrid Learning Models

While hands-on tactile training with specialized manikins remains the gold standard of Pet Tech certification, the organization is continually refining its digital infrastructure. By combining online theoretical modules with localized, hands-on practical testing sessions, Pet Tech is poised to scale its educational reach exponentially. This hybrid model removes geographical barriers, allowing pet parents in remote or underserved rural communities to access life-saving curricula that were once restricted to major metropolitan training hubs.

Strengthening Alliances with Veterinary Professionals

Historically, some traditional veterinary practices viewed independent first-aid training with skepticism, fearing it might encourage pet owners to delay essential veterinary care. However, that paradigm is shifting rapidly. Forward-thinking veterinarians increasingly view Pet Tech graduates as ideal clients—partners who can provide accurate triage histories, administer safe first-aid stabilization, and bring pets to the clinic in a stable, manageable condition before catastrophic damage occurs. Strengthening these referral and educational pipelines between emergency vets and Pet Tech instructors will be a primary growth driver in the coming decade.

Pushing Toward the 1 Million Mark

With over 170,000 graduates already serving as ambassadors of pet safety, the momentum toward the 1 Million mark is accelerating. Network effects, corporate partnerships with major pet care franchises, and workplace wellness programs that sponsor pet first-aid certification are expected to compress the timeline required to reach the remaining 830,000 prevented ER visits.

Conclusion

The story of Pet Tech is ultimately a testament to human empathy and ingenuity. What began as a bold question about an overlooked niche has blossomed into an international movement that has fundamentally rewritten the standard of care for domesticated animals.

Through the tireless advocacy of leaders like Thom Somes and the dedication of more than 170,000 trained pet parents and professionals, Pet Tech has proven that education is the most effective form of preventative medicine. As the organization marches steadily toward its goal of preventing one million pet emergency room visits, it leaves behind a profound legacy: a world where our four-legged family members live safer, healthier, and happier lives, secured by the knowledge and preparedness of the humans who love them.

Note from the Author: For those looking to support the continuous advocacy, education, and community outreach efforts of the Pet Tech team—while keeping your canine companions happy—remember to explore and invest in high-quality, USA-made and sourced treats that keep our dogs thriving day in and day out!