It comes in five different sizes and costs 9,900 yen. Is
Tokyo:
A Tokyo-based clothing maker has teamed up with veterinarians to create a wearable fan for pets, hoping to attract worried owners of dogs or cats — who can’t leave their fur coats in Japan’s hot summer weather. Huh.
The device consists of a battery-powered, 80-gram (3-ounce) fan that is attached to a mesh costume and blows air around an animal’s body.
Rei Uzawa, president of Sweet Mommy, a maternity clothing company, says she was inspired to create the chihuahua after seeing her tired every time she took a walk in the scorching heat.
“There was almost no rainy season this year, so the hot days came early, and in that sense, I think we’ve developed a product that’s right for the market,” she said.
After the rainy season ended in Tokyo in late June, the Japanese capital suffered the longest heatwave on record, with temperatures up to 35 °C (95 Fahrenheit) for nine days.
“I usually use dry ice packs (to keep the dog cool). But I find it’s easier to walk my dog if we have this fan,” says Mami Kumamoto, 48, a miniature poodle named Pudding and a terrier named Mako said.
The device debuted in early July and Sweet Mommy has received about 100 orders for the product, Uzawa said. It comes in five different sizes and costs 9,900 yen ($74).