ARIZONA AUTHOR EARNS FIFTH PLACE IN NATIONAL IDEAFETCH PET CONTEST

KNOXVILLE, Tennessee, March 23, 2006— 5,000 ideas and thousands of votes later, the inaugural PetSafe IdeaFetch pet product invention contest winners are announced.  Arizona author, Stacy Mantle, earned fifth place with her miniature GPS Tracking Unit for Small Pets that allows owners to track their cats and small dogs through a computer.  A GPS unit would attach to a pet’s collar and could easily be transferred from one pet to another. If the pet wanders off, the unit would notify the owner, who is then able to locate the pet through a computer, PDA, or cell phone – without assistance from animal control officers. Visit www.ideafetch.com for a complete list of the top ten winners.

PetSafe challenged the public to enter pet product ideas between October 1 and November 30, 2005, on www.ideafetch.com, for the chance to win $40,000 along with having their idea developed and sold exclusively for one-year at PETCO stores nationwide. Online votes determined the top 100 ideas and a panel of celebrity judges and PetSafe engineers selected the final ten. 

“There are many problems with microchipping pets, and there is no solution available for the GPS tracking of cats, so I wanted something that could be used on smaller animals in case they were frightened during a thunderstorm, or were taken…,” shares Mantle, author of “Conquering the Food Chain: Living Amongst Animals (Without Becoming One).”

Mantle’s idea still has potential to be made into a product by PetSafe, the best selling pet training product brand, over the next year.

“We take pride in being the leader in developing innovative products that strengthen the relationship between pets and their owners.  We are constantly seeking new product concepts that can make a difference in the lives of pets and their owners. IdeaFetch was created to provide an easy outlet for pet lovers to share their creativity,” offers Doug Grindstaff, vice-president of new market development (a.k.a. “Chief Petrepreneur”) at PetSafe. 

Celebrity judges included: Dr. Karen Tobias, Host of "Barkitecture" on DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Network; Shannon Elizabeth, Actress; Josh Schuler, Lemelson-MIT, InvenTeams Grants Officer; and Bobby Simmons, Milwaukee Bucks Professional Basketball Player.

About PetSafe

Based in Knoxville, Tennessee, PetSafe is the industry leader and prime innovator in the development of safe, reliable and technologically superior pet products.  PetSafe introduced the first do-it-yourself electronic fence to the pet market in 1991 and the first wireless fence to the market in 1998.  Over the years, PetSafe’s product line up has expanded to include more than 400 items including: bark control systems, a selection of remote training equipment; electronic containment systems; pet doors, and a growing line of lifestyle products.  For more information about PetSafe visit www.petsafe.net.