Jelly Bean Pets ~ Platinum Drinkwell ~ Skamper-Ramp Pet Safety

Q. Why does it work?

A. Skamper-Ramp is an escape ramp: a means of preventing animals and pets from drowning in a water
entrapment. It is a "keep it simple" solution to very major problem – preventable animal drowning – so it is a very
simple-looking product. But behind that simplicity is a lot of science and testing. The science is that ALL living
beings – domestic or wild; bugs, animals, or humans; colorblind or not – see at the wavelength that is the color
white. As long as the Skamper-Ramp is installed so that a few inches of the "nose" (curved) end are under water
and the ramp breaks the water’s surface, the animal will see it.

Q. What about vinyl-liner pools and above ground pools?

A. Either ramp works well for permanent, vinyl liner pools - in-ground or above-ground - by making sure that an
animal’s claws don't touch puncture the pool. If you have a deck surface that overhangs the pool wall, you will
need to re-lace the ramp’s rope to the set of holes below the Skamper-Ramp logo so that the ramp can be
snugged under the overhang and closest to the side wall. It will not cut through or tear the vinyl. For peace of
mind, you could put a double layer of vinyl on the side wall of the pool where the ramp will hang if you can get
some from your vinyl pool contractor, or tape the edges of the ramp with vinyl repair tape, but neither should be
necessary.

If you have a soft-sided above-ground pool, you can make adaptations to your deck (primarily affixing a 1x10
board under the deck with a brace behind it holding it perpendicular to the deck and parallel to the pool wall) so
that the Skamper-Ramp will have a rigid flat surface to brace against so that animals may escape using it.

Q. What is it made of?

A. Skamper-Ramp® original versions for animals up to 45 lbs are made from 8mm, chemical- and UV-resistant,
rugged, recyclable, box-extruded, polypropylene (a type of heavy-duty plastic) with nylon and stainless steel
hardware. Skamper-Ramp Big Dog™ version is for animals over 45 lbs, most docks and many boats, are made
from 10mm, chemical- and UV-resistant, rugged, recyclable, box-extruded, polypropylene with nylon and
stainless steel hardware. For this reason they will not yellow or become “scummy” over time. The ramps come
complete with nylon rope, nuts, bolts, washers and wing strips - as well the two stainless steel d-ring clips for
anchoring. After 6 years of research and in-pool testing we have found that the box-corrugated plastic has the
longest life-span, is most economical, is lightest weight while providing the greatest strength-to-weight ratio along
with robustness, is most reliable, is most versatile to use, and is easiest to assemble.

Q. How long will it last?

A. As stated above, the ramp is made of box-corrugated polypropylene--one of the strongest, most durable
materials available that can float. In addition, the polypropylene used is UV- and chemical- resistant. Because of
this, we know it will hold up for a very long time--one has been installed in a pool in Charleston, SC for over 4
years, still looks great and is going strong. While we can't make guarantees as to the actual number of years, it
should last a very long time!

Q. Why do I need a Skamper-Ramp if I have a fenced pool and have trained my dog to use the steps?

A. Unfortunately, even with the best planning and training, accidents happen. Fence gates do get opened and
don’t always get securely closed, and many animals manage to get over or under fencing. Alarms are great if
someone is around to hear them go off. In training a pet to the steps (which are underwater and can’t be seen by
the pet), the owner has actually trained their pet to some marker, usually a visible plant. But do they know exactly
what that marker is that the pet is using? What if that marker, (perhaps a plant) is moved for a party, or gets cut
down when remodeling changes the landscape – how will the pet find the steps then? What if it is the dark of
night, or they are spooked, chased or fall in, or if some other animal gets to your pool? The situation is not the
same under those circumstances. While a dog can be trained to the steps, that works well when the owner is
present and during the daytime, not necessarily when they are not there or at night. The Skamper-ramp acts as
a “marker if it is mounted near the steps so that the pet swims to it and either goes out on it or the steps – either
way it works whether or not the owner is around and whether or not the situation is familiar.

Q. What size do I need?

A. We suggest that the original Skamper-Ramp, SKR1, be used for animals up to 45 lbs - however we have had
large dogs like a 120 lb Rhodesian Ridgeback and a 95 lb golden Retriever go out on the small ramp; all that
happens is it becomes more vertical, and may even crease near the rope corners, but the ramp will still work. It
will bend but you can't actually break the rugged polypropylene plastic or its flexible plastic wing strips. Ideally
though, the SKR1 ramp is designed for smaller pets and/or critters that can’t possibly pull themselves out.

For 2007 we have strengthened the SKR2, our version for larger dogs, most docks and many boats. The
Skamper-Ramp Big Dog™ version (SKR2) helps when there is a greater distance to the water or the animal is
larger, although the ramp is light and supports weight because the water is under it. The increased length of the
Big Dog version allows larger animals, more shoulder to hip length, and is much more robust than the original
Skamper-Ramp.

For people with very small animals (pets weighing <25lbs), the larger ramp can be used as an indoor ramp up to
furniture, and it can be tucked out of sight when not in use. People on farms and ranches can use the original
(SKR1) ramp by anchoring it in livestock/horse water troughs so that any animals that might fall in can escape.
Also, if people don't cover their pools for winter, but do drain them, hanging the Skamper-Ramp Big Dog down
into the pool makes an easy escape ramp for any animal that may get caught during the off-season.

Q. Are there alternative anchoring methods?

A. If you do not wish to drill holes into your decks, it is possible to use alternative tie down points such as pool
cover attachment points, skimmers, railings and water levelers. There are many creative ways to attach the
ramp, you just want to ensure that the ropes are not spread too far away from being parallel, that the back and
wings have a surface to rest snuggly against and that the force is downward (diagonal vectors) so it does not pull
purely horizontally (or it will pull out.) Please note that the knots may loosen when tied around a wider bar and
they should be checked fairly frequently (depending on the amount of use).

There is no one right way to install a Skamper-Ramp, however two criteria are critical:
1) a few inches of the round "nose" end need to be submerged so that the white breaks the water surface so the
animal will see the white while swimming, even in stress; and
2) it needs to be snug to a "rigid" flat, vertical wall so that when a critter or pet gets on the end the Skamper-
Ramp has something to brace against. It is the open-box-end and stabilizing wing-strips that provide rigidity and
robustness, especially when braced against a vertical element, that make Skamper-Ramp work so effectively.
The most important point about the installation is to have the Skamper-Ramp as snug to the pool edge/wall as
possible, while still having a few inches of the “nose” end of the ramp submerged. To accomplish that, there are
two sets of holes for threading the connection rope through (one above the Skamper-Ramp name and one
below) in order to accommodate deep copings or flush edges.

Q. Are there other uses besides pools?

A. Our customers are creative in their applications. Many people are buying Skamper-Ramps for their floating
docks, fixed docks, and boats (from the stern transom or with the swim platforms); to use for thin ice rescue; for
indoor ramps for very small or light weight animals; and in water troughs in pastures and remote ranchland (gives
critters that get in for a drink a way out, rather than drowning and polluting the water so animals won’t drink it).
Hotels, motels, municipal water system reservoirs can all take advantage of Skamper-Ramp's drowning
prevention.

Q. What about use with boats?

A. Boats are not as universal in construction as pools, so boats may require some ingenuity and engineering for
best use and installation. For a smaller outboard with a small swim platform, you can tie both ropes to a stern
cleat and snug it up to the vertical stern transom, or brace it on the short swim platform, or even tie it on the top
swim ladder step.
For larger boats with larger platforms that are higher out of the water; you could still use the top step of the
ladder or, better yet, put two eye hooks on the underside of the platform (if it is one that doesn't have drain slots)
~9" apart. Then unlace and re-tie the rope through the ramp in loops knotting a snap hook into each loop side
(perpendicular to how it is delivered to you) - then when you want to use it, snap the ramp in place. It will drag
behind and under the platform but, when the animal steps on the ramp, the platform will keep it from going
vertical and also from kicking up due to chop or waves.