Starting in winter 2017-18, Ruffwear will serve as a partner of the National Ski Patrol. The new partnership speaks to the support of both organizations for the work patrollers do with avalanche rescue dogs all over the country.
“We are very excited to be partnering with Ruffwear,” said NSP Executive Director Meegan Moszynski. “NSP patrollers across the country train and work with avalanche rescue dogs all season long. These dogs are true working animals, and they will greatly benefit from the professional gear that Ruffwear creates.”
Founded in 1994, Ruffwear is the leader in performance dog gear. The brand manufactures multiple product lines that are used by rescue dogs, including harnesses, packs, toys and more. This gear will prove important in supporting the mission of avalanche rescue dogs and their handlers.
“Our relationship with and support of the National Ski Patrol is an important part of what we get to do here at Ruffwear,” said Patrick Kruse, Ruffwear’s founder and director of product development. “On occasion, we have had the opportunity to participate in the training of these amazing working dogs and their handlers at the Wasatch Backcountry Rescue International Dog School. Over the years, we’ve been so appreciative of the dedication of these teams and the feedback they share about how our gear functions in demanding conditions. We know we’re getting it right when our gear performs in the extreme environments encountered by avalanche rescue dogs and their handlers. The relationships we share with working dogs are meaningful for all of us at Ruffwear. We’re very grateful for the efforts of ski patrollers and their dedicated dogs.”
Like Ruffwear, the National Ski Patrol supported the 2017 WBR International Dog School, including offering scholarships to a select few patrollers through its partnership with Subaru. This new partnership with Ruffwear will help both organizations promote and support the important work of avalanche rescue dogs, who work with ski patrols and mountain rescue organizations all over the world.
Ruffwear’s mission is to build performance dog gear to enhance and inspire exploration for outdoor adventurers and their human companions. For more than 20 years, Ruffwear Performance Dog Gear™ has combined technology, quality, fit, function, and safety to facilitate its belief that every dog is an explorer.
Ruffwear is committed to enhancing the lives of all dogs and their human companions. Through its Ruff Adventure Dog Adoption Program with Best Friends Animal Society, Ruffwear covers the cost of adoption fees and travel expenses for newly adopted dogs from the Kanab, Utah sanctuary, as well as a new Ruffwear collar and leash to go home with. And by protecting wild places for their habitat and recreation values through membership in The Conservation Alliance, Ruffwear works to ensure there are plenty of wild, open spaces for dogs and their humans to enjoy together. Based in Bend, Oregon, Ruffwear sells its products through specialty pet and outdoor retailers as well as at www.ruffwear.com.
The National Ski Patrol is a federally chartered nonprofit membership association dedicated to serving the public and the mountain recreation industry. For 79 years, the NSP has been at the forefront of safety and emergency care education programs. The association’s 30,000 members represent 98 percent of the nation’s patrollers. For more information, access www.nsp.org.