Getting a paw up on safety

Hadley, the Trauernicht family's first black Lab, sprained both front legs jumping out of the family station wagon 14 years ago. Cathy Trauernicht became so concerned about dog safety that she spent years developing a pet ramp she finally put into production last year.

"It's dangerous for dogs of any age or breed to jump onto concrete," says Trauernicht, who lives in Potomac, Md. "I've talked with many vets about the injuries they see with dogs, especially with SUVs."

Trauernicht found that most ramps on the market were heavy and cumbersome and did not fold up compactly to store in the car. She worked with an engineer to develop a patented design using lightweight plastic with textured strips to add traction. It rolls up for storage and transport.

Ramp4Paws comes in two sizes: $219.95 for SUVs, trucks and station wagons, and $159.95 for vans with sliding doors. Both are designed for animals up to 160 pounds.

Directions for training dogs to use the ramps are included. They're available at www.ramp4paws.com.