Helene Rousse will be pitching her new invention, the Pethold on popular TV show Dragon's Den on September 1.
Entrepreneur, business woman, and pet lover Helene Rousse will be pitching her new invention, the Pethold, a hands-free grooming kit for pets, on popular TV show Dragon's Den on September 1st.
How did the idea for the Pethold come to her? Rousse explains, "My cat Merlin was the inspiration. Whenever I had to cut his claws, give him medicine, brush his teeth or just trim his fur, it was always an adventure, and not always a fun one! So I designed the Pethold, a hands-free grooming stand made for pets weighing up to 10 kilos; ideal for dogs, cats and rabbits. It consists of a beautiful metallic stand with a soft multi-stretch custom-cut fleece hammock suspended on specially-designed metal hangers. It securely holds our pets in an immobile state and calms them, making nail cutting, fur trimming, brushing and medicine dispensing a much easier task." The Pethold also serves as a coffee table; perfect for holding snacks and meals while in front of the TV or reading, or as a laptop stand while the hammock holds your magazines and papers underneath.
Rousse couldn't be more excited about her upcoming venture, "I have been watching Dragon's Den for many years and yearned to be on it one day, so it's really thrilling for me to pitch the Pethold in Toronto with my partner; I hope the dragons go easy on me. I am at the early stage of production, which is why I need help from the public to buy from or donate to my Kickstarter fundraising campaign."
She is calling out to Montrealers to help her raise the seed money on her Kickstarter campaign on social media and reach her goal of having 500 pieces ordered. Consumers will be able to purchase the Pethold at a discounted prelaunch price. This genius, multifunction design is now available for a limited time at the promotional price of $149. There are videos and further information on their website at www.pethold.com and on their fundraising page.
Both pet owners and groomers have offered praise for the quality and usefulness of the Pethold: "The Pethold is a great add-on to our tables since we don't get bitten when we use it. Older dogs with low mobility love to be in the hammock. Once suspended, it soothes them automatically."-Isabelle, professional pet groomer, Montreal
"I can definitely see the use of the Pethold for nail trimming-my nemesis. I also want to use it for giving baths. I love the functionality of using it as a table top and for storing a throw next to my sofa in winter. We're all living in smaller spaces and having a multi-use item is awesome."-Nancy Brambilla, pet owner, Ontario
Creative by nature, Rousse studied Industrial Design for 3 years before working in the entertainment business. Along with running a busy casting agency with 3 nominations for outstanding casting at THE VOICE Arts Awards, the always-on-the-go Rousse is a published author and is also working on a master-class acting book and video for 2021, a Youtube Casting Vlog, and ongoing inventions: "I have always worked in this field and love my job; I am grateful to be the entrepreneur I always wanted to be. Being active is my passion," she said.
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