Aerospace engineer enlists MAS to develop snappy idea

Branded 'Gizapaw', Wombourne-based inventor David Daly's invention uses a simple colour coding system to indicate the temperament of a dog, with green being 'safe' and red indicating 'caution'. He came up with the product idea when his daughters attempted to stroke what appeared to be a friendly dog. "The next minute it lurched at them – fortunately the owner was prepared for it and pulled the dog back," explained Daly. "I got chatting to him and his words were 'he's fine with me but doesn't like kids, I could really do with some way of warning people'. This got me thinking and I went away and came up with several ideas to solve this problem, eventually settling on the Gizapaw concept due to its simplicity, yet effectiveness." The product, which Daly believes could prevent a million dog bites a year, is now enjoying global success after creating a new animal innovation that could prevent over one million dog bites ever year. Home and overseas orders from owners, training bodies and re-homing centres have followed the exposure of the product – a range of behaviour 'sleeves' that are attached to a harness or a lead – at exhibitions like Crufts.