This Weekend - Colonial Toyota

Indiana, PA area - hope to see you there!

Erin shares her story

Erin's story:

I adopted Nikkita from the ASPCA in NYC a long long time ago. She was the best dog in my lifetime so far. She loved to swim, ride in the car, play, protect- you name it- she did it. I was NOT ready to lose her. In August of 2010, I went for a Sunday drive with my dog. She was unsecured (as usual) in the backseat. We were stopped in traffic on the highway. I was the last in line. I looked in my rearview to see the car behind me was not stopping. I had no time. I screamed for Nikkita in hopes of getting her attention. The car slammed into the back of my car without even attempting to brake.



Immediately after the accident, Nikkita seemed fine, however we still took her to the vet. The vet said there was nothing we could do and to watch her. Within two days we knew something was very wrong. Nikkita lost her eye sight and use of her motor skills. We took her back to the vet, again there was nothing we could do and I saw the "bad vet face" as we left. Nikkita soon then started to pass out and seemed to go into a coma while she was sleeping. She was euthaniezed in our home soon after. I then had to talk to insurance companies about my "personal property". Let me tell you that a family member is just not personal property. All the money in the world couldn't bring back Nikkita. We now have Nikki, awesome - but not Nikkita. Nikki has a seat belt. When she chewed through it as a puppy- I bought another one. In fact, that trip was one of the only trips to the pet store without my dog. Why? No seat belt.

After this accident I asked myself- Would I have let my 6 year old child ride around unrestrained in the car? Never. Why did I let Nikkita unrestrained? Of all the stupid stuff I had bought for her over the years, I couldn't have spent $40 bucks on a pet seat belt? How many times have both Nikkita and I walked past them in the pet store? Really?!

Please please please keep on passing this on and thank you again for doing what you do. If my story can teach or help others- please tell it. Thank you and best of luck.

Erin Lysaght

Thank you Erin for sharing your story to help others. There are many great products out there from companies such as Kurgo and others to help protect your pets while traveling in a vehicle. Please research and find the right products for you and your pet, it could save their life.

Freedom and Woofstock!

This weekend is twice the fun in Pennsylvania. I'm at Freedom Toyota in Harrisburg, PA on Saturday from 2-5 pm. This is one of my fun dealer appearances with giveaways, training/pet travel safety Q&A sessions, and more. Central Pennsylvania Animal Alliance and the Humane Society of Harrisburg Area will be there with animals that need to be adopted. I've already worked with the Freedom Toyota team at their Hamburg, PA location and they are a great group!

The Saturday afternoon dealer event is to gear up for Sunday's Woofstock in Harrisburg, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Riverfront Park. This is a huge pet expo with vendors, entertainment, a walk/5krun, and much, much more.

Hope to meet some PA area pet people at one or both events. Come out and let's talk pet travel safety. Peace!

See you this weekend!

With the long weekend ahead of us the possibilities are endless! I have just the thing for you if you are in either of these areas...I'll be in Colubus, OH on Saturday, September 3 and in my local area of Nashville, TN on Sunday, September 4.

Ohio folks come on out to Germain Toyota for their Pet TAILgating party on Saturday from 11 am to 3 pm. Enjoy refreshments, enter your pet in the Best Dressed Pet Contest, and more!

Nashville, let's give a great hometown showing at Toyota of Cool Springs on Sunday after church from noon to 4 pm. Not only am I based in the Nashville area, but my sponsor Pedigree is based in Franklin as well!

Both events will feature numerous pet related vendors, pets available for adoption, education on pet travel safety, my Q&A sessions, and gift bags for the first 150 people as well as door prizes from Pedigree and Kurgo.

Tour Sponsor Spotlight: Kurgo

One of the joys of joys of owning a dog is going places together. Kurgo's award winning line of pet travel products makes this simple joy easier and more secure. Brothers Kitter and Gordie Spater pull from their real-life needs to design products that make traveling and getting out with your dog easy, the way it should be. Their products designed for vehicles (such as the Backseat Barrier, pictured above) are of course a perfect fit for my mission of spreading the word about pet travel safety on my Toyota tour. We have developed a great partnership that includes product inserts that feature my Kurgo exclusive training tips! Check out their full line of products on their website. You'll see why Kurgo makes it safe and easy for you and your dog to GO TOGETHER.

Giveaway-a-Day

Check out my Giveaway-a-Day contest going on this week on my official Facebook fan page. I have some great products up for grabs this week including a couple of WalkieWay collar/leash combos (these units are super strong!) and several products from my friends (and tour sponsors) Kurgo. Kurgo has some amazing products to help you and your pet travel together safely. I'll have more on Kurgo later this week with a Tour Sponsor Spotlight. For now, good luck with the contest!

On the road update

My most recent on-lot dealer event was a Beaverton Toyota on July 16 as pictured above with the gals from Spot Magazine. Margie at Beaverton Toyota is a long-time pet advocate and she and her team really know how to put on a great event, thanks to all.

Next was the San Antonio Pet Expo on July 23. This is a great expo series, the organizers of this event put on 17 total expos all across the country and I have partnered with them to do on-stage Q&A sessions at those expos which I appear. Next up I will be at their Denver Pet Expo this Saturday, August 20 so if you are in that area come on out and have your dog training and pet travel safety questions ready for me! It's sure to be a great event.

What's up Washington state?

Today through Sunday I'm at America's Family Pet Expo in Puyallup, WA. The America's Family Pet Expos are a celebration of pets...from pet products to pet adoption and pet education to pet entertainment. Come out and visit! Click thru their link to save $2 by purchasing tickets online. I'll be answering questions and sharing pet travel safety tips on behalf of Toyota as well as demonstrating some great products to help keep your pets safe in vehicles.

Cover and feature article - Spot Magazine

Many thanks to Oregon's largest pet publication, Spot Magazine - they chose me for the July cover with accompanying feature article. This issue just hit the streets and is in advance of my appearance at Beaverton Toyota's Pet Party in Beaverton, Oregon July 16. I look forward to seeing you Oregon folks in July!

Tour Sponsor Spotlight: Pedigree

Sci-ence-y (adj): A Harrisonism meaning extra-scientific.

Join me at Waltham Center for Pet Nutrition in the UK where the doctors are doing some amazing research regarding genetics, health and nutrition, and the four universal needs of dogs. This is the science behind Pedigree and its sister brands.

Not only is Pedigree on the cutting edge with it's Waltham Center research, they give back through programs like their Adoption Drive. Check out their website for more info.

Pet Expo at Freedom Toyota

Here's a video recap of the awesome dealer event from this weekend at Freedom Toyota in Hamburg PA. Pennsylvania is beautiful country and it was a fun-filled day of animal adoptions, games and learning about pet travel safety. Many thanks as always to my sponsors Toyota, Pedigree and Kurgo for the great giveaways. Jeff, Eric and the team at Freedom were great to work with and have already asked me back next year for another event. Extra thanks to Jeff for creating this video!

Pet adoptions are SUPER

Great news...as of today's date, adoptions number 473 for the Los Angeles Super Adoption and 325 for the NY/tri-state event with some applications still pending. Awesome! Tomorrow I will be at a special on-lot dealer pet adoption event at Freedom Toyota in Hamburg, PA. If you are in the area, come see us. I'll have some signed copies of my book, Dog Talk to give away as well as a few hundred of Pedigree's really nice adjustable dog collars, some Pedigree food vouchers, great door prizes from Kurgo including a skybox booster and collapse-a-bowl, and much more.

Best Friends Super Adoption NY recap

Here's a great video from Best Friends Animal Society, a recap of their recent Super Adoption in NY for which I was emcee. They do great work...check it out.

Tour Sponsor Spotlight: Toyota

The Toyota Pet Safety Team. Photo courtesy of Stacy Mantle.

Last year I was honored along with five pet industry colleagues to be appointed to Toyota's Pet Safety Inititative advisory board. With so many people traveling with their pets in the car, Toyota has recognized the importance of property securing and protecting pets in a vehicle for the safety of both pet and driver.

Meetings with Toyota execs allowed me and my other PET (Pet Expert Team) members Stacy Mantle, Sandy Robins, Megan Blake, Greg Kleva, and Kristen Levine to really give some insight into what pet owners want from their vehicles. In addition, the PET team serves as ambassadors to educate the public on pet travel safety and Toyota's Pet Safety Initiative.

Toyota has partnered with some great companies that make wonderful products for securing and protecting your pet in the car, and has produced vehicles with pet-friendly features.

While brainstorming the best possible ways I could get Toyota's pet safety message out to the public, the idea for my Toyota Pet Safety Tour was born. There's nothing like meeting people face to face and connecting over a mutual love for pets, and getting YOUR feedback on this very important initiative. See you soon on the road.

Find your best friend at a Super Adoption

I'm honored to emcee events for Best Friends Animal Society, including their LA and NY Super Adoptions. Check out this dancing poodle, Charlie, putting on a show for potential adopters this past weekend at the NY event. I'm happy to say Charlie was adopted as a result of this event along with over 316 more animals to date (other applications are pending).

Off to a great start!

photos: Dean Wilder Photography

The 2011 Toyota Pet Safety Tour is underway and we've been a part of some awesome events so far, including the Miramar Ride & Drive, South Florida Pet Expo, America's Family Pet Expo, and a special dealer event at John Elway's Crown Toyota. It's been great to connect with so many of you over our love for our pets and talk about the importance of keeping them safe. As a recent survey has shown, over 80% of pet owners have driven with pets in the car so travel safety for both driver and pet is of utmost importance. That's what this tour is all about! Join me at one of my upcoming tour stops for pet travel safety tips, training Q & A and more, including product giveaways from sponsors like Toyota, Pedigree, and Kurgo.