Cats And Dogs In Japan Get Wearable Fans To Beat Summer Heat

A Tokyo clothing maker has teamed up with veterinarians to make a wearable fan for pets, expecting to entice the worried owners of dogs – or cats – that cannot shed their fur coats in Japan’s blistering summer weather.

The device consists of a battery-operated, 80-gram (3-ounce) fan attached to a mesh outfit and blows air around an animal’s body.

Rei Uzawa, president of maternity clothing maker Sweet Mommy, says she was inspired to create it after seeing her own pet chihuahua exhausted every time it was taken out for a walk in the scorching summer heat.

She said, “There was almost no rainy season this year, so the hot days came early, and in that sense, I think we developed a product that is right for the market.”

After the rainy season in Tokyo ended in late June, the Japanese capital suffered the most prolonged heatwave on record, with temperatures up to 35C (95 F) for nine days.

“I usually use dry ice packs [to keep the dogs cool]. But I think it’s easier to walk my dogs if we have this fan,” said Mami Kumamoto, 48, owner of a miniature poodle named Pudding and a terrier named Maco.

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 is priced at 9,900 yen ($75).