Posted: Tuesday, September 30, 2008, 7:34 p.m., EDT

The rear hatch pet ramp is one of the pet accessoires being offered in Toyota's new sedan, the 2009 Venza. (Courtesy of Toyota USA)

Toyota plans to offer pet care accessories for its new sedan, the 2009 Venza, in anticipation that many buyers of the car will be pet owners. The line up of aftermarket pet products, which will be sold at Toyota dealerships, includes more than a dozen items, such as a pet booster seat with harness and a leash tether for securing pets in the vehicle.

“Toyota is the kind of company that looks at safety of occupants, the safety of pedestrians, and now we’re looking at the safety of pets,” said Bob Zeinstra, national manger for Toyota’s large car marketing.

Toyota decided to offer pet products for the Venza for a number of reasons, primarily safety, Zeinstra said. According to Toyota, the American Automobile Association reported that unrestrained pets cause more than 30,000 accidents annually, and more states are considering legislation requiring pets to be secured for their own safety.

The Venza itself is especially suited for pet owners, because it is designed to make getting in and out of the car easier, Zeinstra said. Toyota also considered a study conducted by the American Pet Product Association that revealed half of all dog owners consider their pet’s comfort when buying a car.

But, what sealed the deal, Zeinstra said, was that two-thirds of the Venza’s buyers are expected to be “active boomers,” who often look to pets to fill the gap left from their children.

“We said here’s a way we could satisfy the needs of our customers by giving them a vehicle that’s pet friendly and also offering them pet products that make them safer and reduce wear and tear,” he said.

Available products include a rear hatch pet ramp for easy loading and unloading, a leash tether for securing pets in the vehicle, a pet booster seat with harness, a first/second row or cargo area pet barrier, pet seatbelt buckles and rear seat zip line-style harnesses.

Waterproof and removable hammock-style seat covers are also available to fit Venza’s bench and bucket seats.

The pet care accessories are manufactured by IMMI, Kurgo, and Solvit Products, among others. They are being distributed to dealers through the Toyota Associated Pet Products program.

Pricing for the pet products are expected to be available at the end of 2008 in conjunction with the launch of the Venza. Zeinstra said the cost of the products could be worked into a lease agreement.

The products could also be offered for other Toyota models in the near future as the dealers become more accustomed with the pet items, Zeinstra said. <HOME>

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