A Tokyo maternity clothes maker is offering portable fans to help cats and dogs’ weather the sweltering summer weather.
Dog owners in Japan can now purchase portable fans to keep their pets cool during the country’s sweltering summer.
The device, consisting of an 80-gram battery-powered fan attached to a breathable mesh suit, circulates cool air around the animal’s body.
Rei Uzawa, president of maternity clothing company Sweet Mommy, said she came up with the idea after seeing how tired her Chihuahua was when she took him for walks.
Although experts have advised owners to avoid walks or take their pets out in the early morning or late evening during Britain’s recent record heat wave, Japan’s high humidity levels are keeping temperatures above 25C at night, according to public broadcaster NHK.
Tokyo experienced its longest heat wave on record since late June, with temperatures reaching 35C for nine consecutive days after the rainy season ended early.
“This year there has been hardly any rainy season, so the hot days have come earlier,” said Uzawa, who teamed up with a veterinarian to make the jackets.
Mami Kumamoto, owner of a miniature poodle named Purin and a terrier named Moco, said she tries to keep her pets cool with dry ice packs during walks. “But it’s easier to walk my dogs with this fan on,” he told Reuters news agency.
The Cool Dog range, which is also cat-friendly, appears to be inspired by the fan-equipped jackets that have become increasingly popular with Japanese construction workers and others who need to spend long periods outdoors.
Demand is not expected to decline quickly. Temperatures rose again over the weekend after an anticyclone landed over much of the country.
The costume costs around $74, but it’s unclear if you can buy it outside of Japan.
Images: Reuters
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