For some people, launching a business is a passion project. For Carbondale resident Paul Hoskinson and his new company, Fido Pro, compassion is the driving force. 

When his dog, Remi, severely sliced her leg on a ski edge in May 2017, Hoskinson had to improvise an emergency evacuation carrier with his backpack. At 65 pounds, the injured pooch barely fit inside. “I went online that night and started looking for something that I could carry with me to self-rescue my dog if she became sick or injured in the backcountry,” says Hoskinson. “There was nothing.”

Almost one year, and many prototypes later, he debuted the patent-pending Fido Pro Airlift. With eight points of contact, the emergency harness distributes a dog’s weight while enabling a person to comfortably carry the load, backpack style. At just 8 ounces, it can easily become part of one’s standard backcountry emergency kit. 

Now, with Boulder-based production of the Airlift humming along, Hoskinson and team are working on other innovations to protect and rescue pups. His motivation? “The love we get from these animals,” he says. “We feel the least we can do is provide a means to rescue them if they get hurt and protect them from injury to begin with.” $70. Available at the Ute Mountaineer and Bristlecone Mountain Sports. fidoprotection.com