PADI Announces Pet Diver Certification Course

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif., April 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is being issued by PADI and is an acknowledged spoof press release. The following news release is not factual and should be reported on as such:

Barking for a new adventure? PADI^® (Professional Association of Diving Instructors), the world's largest diver training organization, today announced the launch of the PADI Pet Diver certification –a first-of-its-kind scuba dive training program exclusively for dogs and cats. With this certification, pet owners can now enjoy the wonders of the underwater world with their four-legged companions, along with the added convenience of no longer having to find a pet sitter when the deep blue calls.

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"Scuba diving provides a memorable and awe-inspiring experience that friends and family can enjoy together, so we wanted to expand our leading diver certification programs so that even the furriest family members could participate in the fun," said Kristin Valette, vice president of marketing and communications for PADI Americas. "PADI has always believed that we can teach anyone to scuba dive, and our new Pet Diver program proves it—while offering pet owners the opportunity to bond with their beloved animals in a whole new way."

Here's how to get your favorite canine or feline friend started on PADI's latest certification, and on your way to enjoying the sights of beautiful coral reefs, fish and underwater wrecks together:

1. Visit www.PADI.com to enroll in PADI eLearning^®―During this knowledge development stage, owners and their pets will gain a basic understanding of pet scuba theory, including aquatic obedience, tethered diving, best practices for sealife avoidance and how to calm anxious pets while underwater. This online immersion can be done from the comfort of a doggie bed or cat crate or in a classroom setting.
2. Participate in confined kennel dives―As part of this 'paws-on' phase, owners will accompany their pets on a series of confined kennel dives at one of 6,200 PADI Dive Centers or Resorts worldwide. The pair will learn underwater breathing techniques and explore the fundamentals of neutral buoyancy, subsurface fetching and power dog paddling in a contained environment to ensure pets and their masters acquire the proper skills. In this stage, participants will also learn to sniff out the best scuba gear to suit their stature.
3. Dive In!―During the final stage in the Pet Diver certification process, pets and their owners, together with a skilled PADI dive coach, embark on four open water dives to continue honing their scuba skills in a full underwater adventure. Those who demonstrate immediate proficiency and self-control may also participate in one muzzle-free, tetherless plunge featuring live mammals. 

After successfully completing all steps, participating pets will receive a PADI Pet Diver certification in the form of a personalized neoprene collar, which comes along with branded flippers and a dive bag full of tasty chicken-flavored treats to reward them for achieving this elite status. Like all PADI Diver certifications, the PADI Pet Diver certification never expires and is recognized worldwide at all PADI Dive Centers and Resorts.

"Now, with PADI's cutting-edge training, Dexter is no longer relegated to the boat or dockside; he's a legitimate diver," comments Ernie Arellano, whose four-year old Goldendoodle was the first to complete the certification. "Getting certified was the best thing we've ever done, and it truly opens us up to a whole new world!"

To learn more about scuba diving and begin the certification process, please visit www.PADI.com.

About PADI
PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) is the world's largest recreational diver training organization, with more than 136,000 trained PADI Professionals dedicated to introducing new divers to the thrill of scuba diving and enhancing the skills of experienced divers through its 6,200 dive centers and resorts worldwide. PADI Members issue nearly 1,000,000 certifications worldwide each year, making underwater exploration and adventure accessible to the public while maintaining the highest industry standards for dive training, safety and customer service.  For more information, visit www.PADI.com.

Contact: Bridget Evans
Formula
(619) 234-0345
[email protected]

SOURCE PADI