Be Smart Ride Safe
Pet Sitters International asks members to take the pledge
September 23, 2010 Orange, CA, Bark Buckle UP® has a new public service announcement that asks pet owners to take the pledge to “Be Smart, Ride Safe® buckle UP the whole family.” The Be Smart Ride Safe® PSA features Cesar Millan and his second-in-command, Blue Pit bull Junior. The PSA is being aired nationally to encourage individuals and corporations to take the pledge online to be safer with their pets.
Pet-sitting industry leader Pet Sitters International (PSI) has partnered with pet safety experts, Bark Buckle UP®, to support the Be Smart Ride Safe® campaign. PSI’s more than 7600 member pet-sitting businesses provide professional pet care and serve as trusted advisors for more than one million pet owners annually. As part of its ongoing mission to promote pet-sitting excellence through education, PSI has encouraged its members to take the Be Smart Ride Safe® pledge and is promoting pet safety tips and Bark Buckle UP’s® free pet safety kit on the PSI web site, www.petsit.com.
The number of pets traveling with their owners has increased 300 percent since 2005, and over 98 percent of pets that travel in cars were not restrained properly in 2009. “Pet owners need to realize that it is just as important to buckle their pet up as it is to buckle themselves up when the get into a car,” Selter said. “We all know that wearing a seatbelt saves human lives. Well, it saves pet lives, as well. It costs nothing to strap yourself into your seatbelt—but the cost of not wearing a seat belt can cost you your life. The same applies to your dog or cat.”
Bark Buckle UP® is committed to informing pet owners about the dangers of unrestrained pet travel. According to the founder of Bark Buckle UP®, “Pet Safety Lady” Christina Selter, “safety belts can only work if you use them – that costs nothing – but not using them can cost lives – pets included.”
FACTS:
• A 60-pound pet can cause a 2,700-pound projectile, even when moving at just 35mph accident
• Pet travel has increased 300 percent since 2005
• Unrestrained pets in vehicles can delay emergency workers’ access to human occupants
• If a pet escapes a vehicle post-accident, it can pose many dangers, including catching the loose pet
• Injured pet may bite rescue workers or others who are trying to help
• Pet may escape through a window or door and cause a second accident
• Driver distraction is common when unrestrained pets are rambunctious in moving vehicles
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Bark Buckle UP® founder Christina Selter “Pet Safety Lady” works with first responders nationwide teaching pet safety and has buckled UP more then 10,000 pets. Education is the first step to show that pet safety is connected to human safety, which helps to save lives. Christina has been featured in more then 250 news segments, directed and produced several pet safety PSA’s and created Be Smart Ride Safe-take the pledge Buckle Up the whole family.
Pet Sitters International Established in 1994, Pet Sitters International (PSI) is the world’s largest educational association for professional pet sitters, representing nearly 8,000 independent professional pet-sitting businesses in the United States, Canada and abroad. PSI provides members with access to affordable bonding and liability insurance and educational resources including a comprehensive Accreditation Program, The Pet Sitter’s WORLD magazine and PSI’s annual Quest convention. For more information, visit www.petsit.com, home of the Official Pet Sitter Locator™, or visit the PSIStoreOnline, the largest specialty retailer of products for pet sitters and pet-sitter business owners.
Media Contacts: Bark Buckle UP — PR@barkbuckleup.com 949-361- 2275
