Back when Lola was younger, I regularly took her for long hikes along the trails on Mount Tamalpais. One day, she decided to run down a hill after a squirrel and suddenly gave out the most horrible yelp. I ran down to see what had happened and she was not able to put any weight on her back legs. Over two miles from the trailhead and the car, there was no way I was going to be able to carry a 70 pound dog the whole way. Luckily, I was wearing a fleece that I turned into a makeshift sling and got her out eventually (she had torn both hind ACLs).
Oh, how I wish that the Fido Pro Airlift was available back then. The Fido Pro Airlift is a hammock-style backpack that a single person can use to rescue their canine friend in an emergency. The Airlift is lightweight and packable, specifically designed to live in the bottom of your backpack alongside your personal emergency gear whenever you go out.
The Airlift design features an 8-point contact system that distributes your dog’s weight evenly amongst the hammock frame, providing a comfortable ride for your pooch and an easy carry for you. The body of the Airlift is made from a 200 denier nylon packcloth and is tapered wider in the front or chest area of the dog and narrower in the back or hindquarters. The leg holes are also anatomically correct, smaller for front legs and larger or wider for rear haunch. All the leg holes are specifically labeled so it is quick and easy to figure out.
The shoulder straps are adjustable by using the pull-down loops and a chest strap enables you to firmly secure your precious load. Once on, the Airlift is completely hands-free, allowing you to use ski/hiking poles or to wear your backpack on your frontside.
The dog rescue device packs into a compact stuff sack, about the size of a burrito and weighs approximately eight ounces. It can be used on dogs ranging from 30 to 100 pounds. The Fido Pro Airlift retails for $69.95 and is available now from the company website.
I think anyone that plays outdoors with their pup should have one of these in their pack at all times. I plan on getting one for Lola even though she doesn’t hike much anymore as sometimes I need to carry her up the street when her arthritic paws won’t let her walk any further.