August 10, 2020
By Thom Somes, President and Co-Founder of Pet Tech
Executive Overview
In an era where domestic pets are increasingly regarded as core members of the modern family, the standard of care has shifted dramatically. Beyond gourmet nutrition, specialized veterinary care, and high-end accessories, a critical imperative remains: emergency preparedness. For decades, human first aid and CPR have been standard components of public safety education, yet emergency medical training for companion animals was virtually non-existent.
Enter Pet Tech, the pioneering international training center dedicated to bridging this dangerous knowledge gap. Founded on a simple yet profound premise—that pet parents and pet care professionals should be equipped to handle medical emergencies before they reach a veterinary hospital—the organization has spent years transforming pet safety education.
This in-depth retrospective explores the origins of Pet Tech, examining the vision of its co-founder, Thom Somes ("The Pet Safety Guy"), tracing the chronological growth of the organization, and highlighting the metrics driving its ambitious mission: to "Prevent 1 Million Pet ER Visits" and "Improve the Quality of Pets’ Lives, One Pet Parent at a Time."
Detailed Chronology: From a Single Question to a Global Movement
Every transformative enterprise begins with an inquiry that challenges the status quo. For Pet Tech, that origin story did not spring from a sterile corporate boardroom, but rather from a moment of observant curiosity. While many might have dismissed the concept of formalized animal CPR and emergency care as impractical or overly niche, visionary founders saw an undeniable opportunity to save lives.
The Inception Phase
In the early days of pet safety advocacy, the veterinary landscape was largely reactive. Pet owners faced with choking hazards, sudden cardiac events, heatstroke, or traumatic injuries had few resources beyond a frantic drive to the nearest emergency room. Recognizing that precious minutes often dictate survival outcomes in medical crises, the founders asked a fundamental question: What if pet parents had the skills to intervene immediately?
This question catalyzed the establishment of Pet Tech as the world’s first international training center dedicated specifically to pet CPR and first aid. The early years involved rigorous curriculum development, collaboration with veterinary professionals, and the careful creation of standardized, easy-to-understand instructional modules tailored for everyday pet owners and professional pet care providers alike.
Scaling the Mission
As word spread, Pet Tech evolved from a localized training initiative into a recognized international authority. The curriculum expanded to cover a comprehensive suite of emergency protocols, including:
- Standard pet CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation)
- Choking management and airway obstruction relief
- First aid for bleeding and shock
- Assessment of vital signs
- Care for heat-related illnesses and poisoning
- Senior pet care and wellness maintenance
Through a dedicated network of instructors, the organization began certifying thousands of individuals annually, establishing a new benchmark in responsible pet ownership and professional pet-sitting standards.
Supporting Context & Metrics: The Quest to Prevent 1 Million ER Visits
In the realm of public health and safety, quantifiable metrics are the ultimate measure of efficacy. Pet Tech operates under a bold, audacious goal: Prevent 1 Million Pet ER Visits.
To critics, such lofty ambitions might seem unrealistic. However, internal data and milestone tracking reveal steady, undeniable progress. Even amidst the unprecedented disruptions of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Pet Tech crossed a monumental threshold: over 17% of its ultimate goal achieved, with more than 170,000 students trained in pet CPR and first aid.
[Target: 1,000,000 ER Visits Prevented]
=========================================
[Current Progress: 170,000+ Students Trained (~17%)]
==================-----------------------The 1-to-1 Impact Philosophy
The core operational hypothesis of Pet Tech is disarmingly straightforward: Every student successfully trained equates to at least one prevented Pet ER visit.
When a pet parent knows how to safely perform the Heimlich maneuver on a choking dog, an unnecessary, high-stress, and costly emergency room trip is averted. When a professional dog walker recognizes the early warning signs of heat exhaustion and implements immediate cooling protocols, a life is saved before irreversible organ damage occurs.
This preventive philosophy yields profound benefits across three distinct pillars:
- Emotional Well-Being: Eliminating the trauma and panic associated with sudden pet medical emergencies for both the animal and the owner.
- Financial Conservation: Mitigating the prohibitive costs of emergency veterinary interventions through proactive, timely, and correct minor care.
- Enhanced Longevity: Extending the healthy, active years of companion animals through heightened owner awareness of daily health, nutrition, and preventative care.
Official Statements and Leadership Perspective
Thom Somes, affectionately known throughout the industry as "The Pet Safety Guy," serves as President and Co-Founder of Pet Tech. As a best-selling author, dynamic keynote speaker, futurist, and dedicated pet parent (as well as a proud grandpaw to his oldest son’s cat), Somes has spent decades championing the cause of animal welfare through education.
Reflecting on the journey of Pet Tech, Somes emphasizes that the organization’s success is deeply rooted in community empowerment:
"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! 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.’"
This philosophy underscores a broader cultural shift. Pets are no longer viewed merely as property or backyard guardians; they are recognized as sentient, vulnerable family members who rely entirely on human stewardship for their safety and health.
Future Outlook: The Next Frontier in Pet Safety Education
As society looks toward the post-pandemic future, the landscape of pet care continues to evolve at a rapid pace. With millions of households having welcomed new companion animals during recent years, the demand for reliable, professional-grade pet education has never been higher.
Emerging Trends and Innovations
- Hybrid and Digital Learning Models: Adapting to modern educational demands, Pet Tech is expanding its reach through innovative blended learning formats, ensuring that high-stakes emergency training is accessible to a broader global audience without compromising hands-on practical standards.
- Professional Integration: Increasingly, professional organizations, boarding facilities, grooming salons, and veterinary clinics are mandating Pet Tech certification as a baseline requirement for employment, raising industry standards nationwide.
- Proactive Wellness Culture: Moving beyond crisis response, the future of pet safety education increasingly integrates holistic wellness, preventative health monitoring, and early detection strategies, ensuring pets live not only longer lives, but healthier, happier ones.
Continuing the Mission
The road to 1 million prevented ER visits is long, but the momentum generated by 170,000+ trained advocates proves that education is the most powerful tool in animal welfare. By empowering individuals with knowledge, confidence, and practical skills, Pet Tech continues to redefine what it means to be a responsible pet parent in the 21st century.
For more information on upcoming Pet Tech courses, instructor certifications, or to bring a pet CPR and first aid workshop to your community, visit the official Pet Tech platform and join the movement to protect our furry family members.
