Most of us dog owners take many precautions to ensure the safety of our beloved fur babies. We have seatbelts for their car rides, we keep them on a leash, we never leave them alone in the car, some of us carry pepper spray or mini air horns God forbid we encounter an aggressive animal on our walks.
But how many of us are prepared for an attack from above?
This week, we have the privilege of having Michael Caruso, owner and inventor of Raptor Shield as our guest. His treasured yorkie was picked up and carried away by a red tailed hawk and she was one of the fortunate ones because she escaped and survived the attack.
Learn about how these scenarios are not as uncommon as you would think and how to protect your most precious family members from falling victim to these exquisite predators
Tune in for this heart-felt conversation atTalkRadio.nycor watch theFacebook Livestream by Clicking Here.
Tommy D and Val open up today’s episode talking about how grateful they are for the success so far with this show which is because of you, everyone tuning in! They also talk about dog shows, and about the movie Best in Show. Val jokes about how there’s a character in the movie that reminded her of Tommy. Tommy and Val introduce their guest, Michael Caruso, from Raptor Shield, which provides protection jackets for small dogs protecting them from predators. Michael’s yorkie, Daisy, was victim to being carried away by a red tailed hawk and fortunately survived the attack. Val tells us that these scenarios happen more often than people think. Michael and his brother designed and came up with the idea to find protection for small dogs after this incident. They found that the material used in these jackets, which is also used for making bullet proof glass, can sustain even bites from coyotes.
Tommy shows us on the Facebook Livestream Raptor Shield through their Amazon page. Michael says that Raptor Shield is designed based on the common weights of dogs as well because birds like hawks are able to pick up dogs as much as 20 lbs. Michael says that other kinds of birds of prey are owls, eagles and falcons. Raptor Shield is very lightweight, comfortable, adjustable, made of 20 gauge polycarbonate and saves lives. Val talks about people she knows who’s dogs have been in similar situations to Michael’s yorkie. Michael makes a point that birds of prey are more aggressive than ever today.
Coming back from the break, Tommy asks a curious question about customizing a raptor shield and whether he can put a team’s logo on it. Unfortunately, right now that’s not possible but an interesting idea! Michael talks about going through different phases in the design process for the shield. They came up with putting a lining on the inside, fully cushioned, making other improvements, and got a great amount of support from many pet owners. Raptor Shield can be found on Amazon in the U.S as well as Canada. When speaking about protecting dogs other than using the jacket, Raptor Shield has also created a Raptor collar to protect the neck area. Michael, Tommy, and Val get more into the topic of eagles and how brutal they can be. Michael mentions terrible moments of eagles picking up animals like goats. We are proud to say that Michael’s Raptor Shield has saved dogs from moments like these. Although dog owners may worry about the shield not covering their dog's head for example, based on statistics, birds of prey are more likely to attack the back of their prey.
Tommy asks Val and Michael how many animals live with them. Val has 4 pets with her and Michael has had some dogs but now due to traveling a lot, he decided to not have any pets right now. Michael, noticing that Val has cats, mentions that the shield can also help cats. It will be effective…that's if they want to wear it. Val switches gears and talks more about what's happening today in terms of animal advocacy. She also is encouraging pet lovers and animal lovers who live in the state of New York to reach out to their assembly person and ask them for their support on the Anti Puppy Mill Bill. Michael briefly talks about the success of Raptor Shield and gives some advice on protecting your dog. Tommy and Val thank Michael very much for joining today’s show. There are many people who might not be aware of this protective shield, even Tommy didn’t know before this episode. You can find Michael Caruso on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Linkedin by searching for Raptor Shield. To learn more about the product you can also visit raptorshield.com.
