Pet Loader grows from garage project to international product

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Ever struggle getting your dog in and out of your car? There’s a business in Rockford that knows your pain.

Bob Whalen showed us Pet Loader, a product he invented over two decades ago, he says, out of necessity.

“Our dog, 25 years ago, was injured, and we had a hard time lifting a hundred-pound dog into our car,” he said. “The only thing that was available were ramps, and dogs do not use ramps, or very rarely.”

So, he and his wife designed a solution by picking and engineering the parts to build the Pet Loader, dog-specific steps to make it easy for them to get into and out of your cars, trucks, and SUVs.

“A man with a heated garage can do anything,” he said with a smile on his face. “I had a heated garage where I could go out and tinker, and it gave my wife a sense of peace and tranquility because I was out trying to figure out how to make this come together. So a heated garage is essential for being an inventor.”

All parts are made and sourced in the U.S., mostly in Illinois and Wisconsin. That’s something Whalen is proud of. He said the idea is to make a product that stands the test of time.”

“We build the pet loader to last the life of your dog,’ he said.

Every pet loader is built by hand. Nothing is automated in the shop. Each one is inspected for quality. It’s not just cars they build them for. They also build boat-specific Pet Loaders.

“The rubber matting, we get from Ohio,” he pointed out, “and these are the strips for traction for the dogs.”

Whalen says it’s fun to take a step back and reflect on what his family has built.

“The legacy of the gift we received from the inspiration of building this product, where two people working out of a heated garage in Belvidere came up with a product that went worldwide,” he said. “There are knock-offs, yes, but there’s nothing that gets to this level.”

His hope for the future is one of growth.

“What our prayer and hope for now is that this continues to grow, getting more word out to people, and that we can still provide more jobs, which was important, to be able to get this to the next level,” he said.