Storage and Care of your Inflatable Pet Life Jacket

Storage:
	Critter's Inflatable^® Pet Preserver comes with a mesh pouch which provides for easy storage and the mesh allows air to circulate and the plastic pocket on the front of the mesh pouch is for keeping the Owner's Manual quickly available and not just put away someplace. This mesh pouch is large enough to also stow a rearming kit. Store in a well ventilated area. Avoid over inflation, exposure to chemicals, storage in direct sunlight, or damp areas. While the Critter's Inflatable^® Pet Preserver uses components that provide UV protection, storage in direct sunlight for long periods of time can damage or fade the cover fabric that protects the inflation chamber. Do not store in a small locker. Store in a space large enough so that if the preserver were to inadvertently inflate, due to hot humid conditions, the preserver will not be damaged.
Use: Before putting the Critter's Inflatable^® Pet Preserver on your companion animal, check the inflation system. Make sure there is a good CO₂ cylinder (unscrew it and make sure it has not been used); and know if it is set for automatic or manual inflation mode and that you know the location of the "JERK TO INFLATE" lanyard. a) If armed for automatic inflation place the lanyard just inside the left side of the cover but near the edge for quick access. b) If armed for manual inflation allow part of the lanyard to stick out of the left side of cover just enough so it can easily be located in an emergency. When putting the Critter's Inflatable^® Pet Preserver on your companion animal make sure the Critter's Inflatable^® logo is facing you (on the outside), otherwise it is on inside out. You must inflate this preserver to provide flotation for your animal. When inflated the Critter's Inflatable^® Pet Preservers provides the following amounts of buoyancy: Small size provide 8 pounds (35 Newton), Medium size each provide 12 to 18 pounds (53 Newton), and Large size provide 33 to 35 pounds (147 Newton) of buoyancy. In conditions below freezing the CO₂ cylinder will no provide full inflation, and the owner may need to blow into the oral inflation tube to achieve the full buoyancy. Flotation devices only reduce the risk of drowning. They do not guarantee rescue. Maintenance: The Critter's Inflatable^® Pet Preserver requires maintenance by the owner. The Critter's Inflatable^® Pet Preserver should be checked for rips, tears, or punctures and check the CO₂ cylinder and indicator between outings. To check for leaks orally inflate the inflation chamber until it is firm and leave it overnight. If the inflation chamber is damaged do not use it. The size CO₂ cylinders used for the Critter's Inflatable^® Pet Preserver are as follows:
	Small size use an 8 gram CO₂ cylinder (3/8"-24 thread size) Medium size use an 12 gram CO₂ cylinder (3/8"-24 thread size), and Large size use a 25 gram CO₂ cylinder (1/2"-20 thread size).
Each CO₂ cylinder may be used only one time to inflate the preserver and then needs to be removed and replaced with a new one (see the rearming instructions in the Owner's Manual and on this Website). Make sure that the CO₂ cylinder has not been used before and has no leaks by visual inspection of the threaded end and/or weighting the cylinder. Hand tighten the CO₂ cylinder and make sure that the inflator is properly cocked by checking that the lever is up and the green indicator (clip or tab) is in place. The Bobbin is the water-sensitive element (used in automatic inflation mode only) that dissolves in water, triggering automatic inflation of the inflator. Replace the Bobbin annually or more often if the preserver gets wet or is used in hot humid or foggy conditions. Replacing the Bobbin more frequently will prevent unwonted inflation and wasting your CO₂ cylinder. To replace the Bobbin, see the rearming instructions in the Owner's Manual and on this Website. To refold the Critter's Inflatable^® Pet Preserver see folding instructions in the Owner's Manual and on this Website.