Even if it rains cats and dogs on holiday, this clever 12v/240v water heater keeps the RV clean for pet owners

Dogs are often good travelers – cats need more careful consideration

More people than ever are taking their pets on holiday in their RVs, caravans and campers, presenting owners with challenging cleanup tasks as their energetic animals roll around new territories ranging from sandy beaches to the dusty desert and remote rocky mountains.

“There is a huge domestic travel boom on in Australia and around the world post-Covid, as State borders open up and more people explore their own countries in safe, secure healthy environments,” says RV equipment and hot water specialist Jay King, Managing Director, Aus J Hot Water Solutions.

“Travelling with pets is an issue that many owners are currently addressing, as they ponder alternative possibilities to boarding them out and leaving their kids’ best friends sometimes lonely and fretting.”

Dogs are among the most popular pets to consider as travelling companions, with more than four million in Australia alone. They are generally more portable than cats – though some people will travel with show animals of all types, ranging in size from cats in personal cages, through to horses in custom floats, says Mr King.

“We are pet lovers here and internationally. The RSPCA pet welfare organisation tells us 61 per cent of Australian households have pets, which is one of the highest rates in the world, behind the US with 67 per cent but ahead of the UK with 40 per cent.”

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“We find that most pet owners are women – nearly two-thirds, who often consider the pet to be a family member. But men too love to travel with their best friend- even if sometimes they don’t like the mess that results after a dip in the sea or a roll in some nice red dust, which sticks to everything like glue and gets right up their noses.”

The 12v/240v Duoetto, which can also be used to maintain travelling animals ranging from cats to show ponies in floats

Aus J’s 12v/240v water heater is allowing RV enthusiasts and family travelers alike – including their pets – splash and roll about wherever they like, when they like, without having to plug into mains power to clean up afterwards with a hot shower, or rely on ‘van parks facilities.

The clever Duoetto MK2 10-litre water heater that Aus J Hot Water Solutions sells locally and internationally (including NZ, Africa, Asia, UK, Europe and North and South America) is finding markets among RV, caravan, camping, and marine yacht and powered boat owners, as well as being used in work vehicles and 4wds used to tow RVs including caravans to remote places where they wish to maintain optimum cleanliness and comfort.

The tough, compact and durable water heater offers selectable temperatures between 30-75ºC (86-167ºF) on 240v and up to 70°C (158ºF) on 12v so people with pets can shower, wash, clean and enjoy abundant hot water whether mains power is available or not.

The latest Duoettos – which typically retail for under $A420 ($US310) – feature automatic sensors to allow switching to 12V when mains power is not available, enabling the Duoetto to deliver ample hot water in remote areas such as campsites or on boats where mains power is unavailable, which it often is in large areas of major RV, marine and work vehicle markets, says Mr King.

“Our typical customers up to this point have been men, but we are finding that is staring to change as we get out to show our portable heaters at campsites and public spaces where singles, couples and families approach us. Sometimes it is the woman who is the handyperson who wants to install it – and with pets we find it is often the woman who will often be the one who makes the purchase decision.”

“We are finding that women make the broader range of pet decisions generally, including choice of their new family member and how to care for it, whether it is a dog, cat, small mammal or reptile that appreciates a bath. I don’t think I would take a snake on holiday though, because they might like crawling into warm sleeping bags. Fish and birds too can do without dousing, thank you, but that still leaves plenty of furry and hairy creatures who would prefer you don’t leave home without them.”

“Some of the women we talk to tell us their cats and dogs seem to know when the family is preparing for a holiday – they can get very clingy and put a big guilt trip on you. So if you don’t want a fretting dog when you return, or a hostile moggy, maybe it is time to have a look at how portable they might be. In addition to family happiness, you’ll probably find that the cost of boarding an animal for a month far exceeds the cost of a hot water unit to clean them and yourselves up after a holiday romp.”

Aus J ( www.ausj.com.au ) offers a range of innovative gas and electric water heaters with models for domestic, commercial and recreational applications, including a 240v 10-litre Aqueous water heater designed to provide homes with near-instant hot water and reduce the wastage by having the heater located under the sink.