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

Executive Overview

In the modern household, pets are no longer viewed merely as animals kept around the home; they are integral, deeply cherished members of the family. From sharing our living spaces to accompanying us on vacations, dogs, cats, and other companion animals enjoy a quality of life that would have been unimaginable a century ago. Yet, with this deep integration into human lives comes a unique set of vulnerabilities. Accidents happen, sudden illnesses strike, and emergencies arise when veterinary clinics are miles away or minutes too slow.

Enter the realm of pet safety education—a sector pioneered, shaped, and continuously propelled forward by organizations like Pet Tech. Founded on a seemingly simple yet profoundly ambitious premise, Pet Tech has spent decades transforming everyday pet parents and professional caregivers into confident, capable first responders for their furry companions.

At the heart of this movement is a defining corporate mission: "Prevent 1 Million Pet ER Visits." While critics might once have dismissed this target as an unachievable marketing slogan, the reality on the ground tells a vastly different story. Despite the unprecedented operational hurdles posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic, Pet Tech crossed a monumental milestone by training over 170,000 students in Pet CPR and First Aid—achieving more than 17% of its grand cumulative goal.

This in-depth investigative feature explores the origins of Pet Tech, the philosophy of its co-founder Thom Somes (widely known as "The Pet Safety Guy"), the metrics driving its life-saving crusade, and the broader cultural shift toward proactive pet healthcare.

Detailed Chronology: From a Single Question to a Global Movement

Every transformative enterprise begins with a spark—an observation of a gap in the market or a failure in the status quo. For Pet Tech, that origin point was rooted in a singular, probing question. In an era when human CPR and first aid training were becoming standard for workplaces, schools, and community centers, the parallel universe of animal emergency care remained largely neglected.

When Thom Somes first began posing questions about emergency preparedness for animals, the reactions varied from polite indifference to outright dismissal. Many viewed pet injuries as inevitable tragedies of nature, writing off emergency medical intervention outside of a veterinary office as impossible or unnecessary. However, Somes recognized a profound opportunity.

The Early Days: Challenging the Status Quo

In the foundational phases of Pet Tech, the primary hurdle was not logistical; it was psychological. Pet owners routinely assumed that if an animal choked, stopped breathing, or suffered a traumatic injury, the only course of action was a frantic, high-speed dash to the nearest veterinary emergency room. Education targeting laypeople was virtually nonexistent.

Somes and his team set out to dismantle the myth that emergency medical care was strictly the domain of licensed veterinarians. Just as a parent learns basic first aid for a human toddler to bridge the gap before an ambulance arrives, a pet parent needed to be empowered with the exact same foundational skills.

Expanding the Curriculum

As the organization took root, it established itself as the first international training center dedicated exclusively to pet CPR and first aid. The curriculum was meticulously developed, tested, and refined. It bridged veterinary science with practical, hands-on instructional techniques. Students did not just read manuals; they practiced rescue breathing, choking management, and wound stabilization on specialized canine and feline mannequins.

Over the years, the scope of training expanded to encompass not just crisis response, but preventative health, senior pet care, environmental safety, and disaster preparedness. Through a dedicated network of instructors and licensees, Pet Tech systematically built a bridge between the living room and the veterinary clinic.

Supporting Context & Metrics: The Mathematics of Saving Lives

To truly understand the impact of Pet Tech, one must examine the metrics that guide its operations and validate its core philosophy.

The Core Hypothesis

The driving statistical engine behind Pet Tech is an elegant, yet impactful, foundational belief: Every student trained equates to one preventable pet ER visit.

At first glance, this might appear to be an optimistic correlation. However, when broken down through the lens of preventative action, the logic becomes undeniable. Consider the common household emergencies that trigger costly, panic-induced trips to the emergency room:

• Choking Incidents: A dog swallows a piece of a toy or an unauthorized food item, leading to obstructed airways. Without immediate intervention utilizing proper canine Heimlich maneuvers, panic ensues. With training, a pet parent can resolve the obstruction in seconds.
• Heatstroke and Environmental Stress: Recognizing the early signs of canine hyperthermia before it progresses to organ failure prevents catastrophic medical crises.
• Minor Wounds and Bleeding: Knowing how to properly apply pressure, bandage a wound, and safely transport an injured animal prevents secondary infections and worsening trauma.

By equipping individuals with the knowledge to recognize distress signals early and administer immediate first aid, Pet Tech short-circuits the escalation of minor incidents into full-blown emergency room crises.

The Numbers Tell the Story

As of the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Pet Tech officially surpassed 170,000 students trained in Pet CPR and First Aid. This achievement represents more than 17% completion of the ultimate corporate goal: preventing 1 million pet emergency room visits.

In the face of global lockdowns, economic uncertainty, and social distancing protocols, hitting this 17% benchmark demonstrated incredible resilience. It underscored a fundamental truth: even during times of crisis, people prioritize the safety and well-being of their companion animals. In fact, with millions spending increased time at home with their pets during the pandemic, the demand for reliable, authoritative pet safety education surged to unprecedented levels.

Official Statements and Leadership Philosophy

At the helm of this international movement is Thom Somes, whose professional title—The Pet Safety Guy—reflects a career dedicated to demystifying animal health and safety. As President and Co-Founder, Somes brings a multifaceted perspective to the table: he is a speaker, a bestselling author, a futurist, a dedicated pet parent, and, notably, a proud "grandpaw" to his oldest son’s cat.

In his instructional presentations, Somes frequently emphasizes the human-animal bond as the primary catalyst for the company’s ongoing mission.

"Pet Tech really did start with one question," Somes reflects. "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! 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!"

Somes’ philosophy extends beyond the clinical mechanics of CPR. He champions a holistic, empathetic approach encapsulated in the organization’s overarching motto: "Improving the quality of pets’ lives, one pet parent at a time."

This philosophy recognizes that true pet care is proactive rather than reactive. It involves understanding animal behavior, nutritional safety, environmental hazards, and aging processes. By empowering the pet parent—the individual who knows the animal best—Pet Tech fosters an environment of proactive vigilance.

Future Outlook: The Road to One Million and Beyond

As Pet Tech looks toward the horizon, the path forward is marked by both ambitious scaling and technological adaptation. Crossing the 170,000-student threshold was a major milestone, but the remaining ground to cover—the journey to the 1-million-visit milestone—requires innovative strategies.

Embracing Hybrid and Digital Learning Models

The operational landscape of education shifted dramatically during the 2020 pandemic, proving that traditional, hands-on training models must seamlessly integrate with digital infrastructure. Moving forward, Pet Tech continues to expand its reach through hybrid learning environments, digital coursework, and expanded instructor networks. By leveraging modern communication technologies, the organization can disseminate life-saving knowledge to remote areas that previously lacked access to certified instructors.

Professionalizing the Pet Care Industry

Beyond individual pet parents, Pet Tech plays a critical role in the professional pet care ecosystem. Dog walkers, pet sitters, groomers, kennel operators, and shelter workers increasingly view Pet CPR and First Aid certification not as an optional resume booster, but as an absolute industry standard. Clients are rightfully demanding that anyone entrusted with the care of their animals possess verified emergency credentials. By raising the bar across the entire commercial pet care sector, Pet Tech is helping to institutionalize animal safety standards nationwide.

A Lasting Cultural Legacy

Ultimately, the legacy of Pet Tech will not be measured solely in spreadsheets or raw training statistics. It will be measured in the quiet, terrifying moments averted—the dog saved from choking, the cat stabilized after an unexpected trauma, the countless hours of panic replaced by calm, calculated competence.

As Thom Somes and his team march steadily toward their ultimate objective, they leave behind a transformed cultural landscape. In this new paradigm, pet parents are no longer passive bystanders hoping for the best, but active, educated guardians equipped to protect the four-legged family members they love so dearly.