Innovations in pet care design
Author Dan Harfield
Whether it’s for companionship, mobility or a trip to the park, pets are increasingly shaping how we think about design. These four projects bring together creativity, compassion and craft to support the animals in our lives and the people who love them.
Each one is a reminder that care can be designed, and even small details can have a big emotional impact.
Tombot - Jennie
Tombot’s Jennie is a hyper-realistic robotic Labrador puppy designed to bring calm, familiarity and comfort to people living with dementia, PTSD or depression.
Battery-powered and fully autonomous, Jennie is soft to the touch and lifelike in behaviour, helping to reduce feelings of loneliness and anxiety. What I found moving is how Tombot taps into a deep instinct – our desire to care – to deliver an emotional connection that feels real, even when the pet isn’t. It’s a gentle intersection of robotics and empathy, created with purpose.
Steady
Inspired by their own ageing pets, designers Jungmin Park, Chaewon Lee and Seungha Baek developed Steady – an assistive walking device that balances freedom with support.
Shaped by research and veterinary insight, the design uses a seatbelt-style harness to protect older dogs without limiting their movement. Steady rethinks mobility not as restriction, but as autonomy, giving dogs space to move, sniff and explore as they always have. Plus, the CMF feels approachable and warm, a far cry from the clinical tone of most assistive devices.
Pawprint
Pawprint Project creates leashes, harnesses and accessories from ocean-bound plastic, transforming waste into gear designed for adventurous pets and their eco-conscious humans.
There’s a clear story here – one of circular thinking, clear purpose and strong identity. The products look and feel great, but also carry a message that’s easy to stand behind. It’s a good example of how sustainability becomes a reason to believe, when built into the brand from the start.
Pooch My Ride
Pooch My Ride began with a single question: how can I take my dog on a bike ride? The answer is a handlebar-mounted pet carrier – and it all started with cardboard prototypes and late-night kitchen experiments.
Since launching, the brand has turned that DIY project into a real, functional product with a loyal following. I love seeing stories like this, not only because the product is clever and charming, but because it shows that good ideas don’t need perfect beginnings. It’s a great example for student designers, and a reminder that prototyping is just a fancy word for making something, however you can.
Looking for more design inspiration?
