Our Story

How a trip to the vet became the Emergency Leash

The true story of a supersized German Shepherd, a borrowed belt, and an idea worth five years of prototypes.

A German Shepherd and a grumpy cat waiting on chairs at the vet's office

2012

It started at the vet's office

The idea for the Emergency Leash came in 2012, on a simple trip to the vet. Barron, my German Shepherd, was off-leash trained, so I didn't even think about bringing a leash for him.

The founder walking his German Shepherd using his belt as a makeshift leash

“He still needs a leash though.”

The vet's assistant liked that Barron was off-leash trained, but the rules were the rules. Caught short, I did the only thing I could think of: I took off my belt and used it as a leash.

A happy German Shepherd carrying its own leash in its mouth

Then the idea struck me

How nice would it be if pets could carry their own leashes, ready the moment you need one?

The Emergency Leash tag with its QR code and NFC chip

Five years. Dozens of prototypes.

Five years and several dozen prototypes later, the Emergency Leash was ready: a tiny leash and lost-pet safety net your pet wears on their collar, everywhere they go.

A cartoon bodybuilder with an Emergency Leash tag for a head, flexing

Small enough for tiny pets. Strong enough for the biggest.

Designing it was a challenge. It had to be small and light enough for tiny pets to wear 24/7, yet strong enough to control the largest pets, Barron included, at a very muscular 157 pounds.

A man holding a spare tire next to his car, with an Emergency Leash in his other hand

Like the spare tire in your trunk

The Emergency Leash doesn't replace your regular leash. It's there when the unexpected happens, and it gets you both safely home.

A worried lost dog wearing an Emergency Leash tag while the clasp shouts Help, we're lost, into a megaphone

Then our Pekingese dug under the fence

While I was designing, my wife's little Pekingese escaped under the fence. We found her right away, but it showed me the other half of the problem. That's why every Emergency Leash carries a unique ID with a scannable QR code: anyone who finds your pet can reach you in seconds, no app needed.