Photo by The Kyjen Company

I was given this carrier at last week’s BlogPaws conference — it was the “bag” part of the swag bags we received — and moments later, the Eco Carrier saved my bacon. I hadn’t yet acclimated to Denver’s altitude, and suddenly realized that I didn’t have it in me to walk back to our hotel, so we shoved Chloe into her brand-new carrier and hailed a cab.

I’ve since learned that Denver cab drivers don’t require that your dog be in a carrier, bless them, but most public transit systems do (and I think having your dog in a carrier will improve your chances of being picked up by a cab in less friendly cities than Denver). The Eco Carrier is an extremely affordable, collapsible carrier that could be carried for emergency use (its bottom is a stiff, padded board measuring 14″ x 7.5″, so it would need to be carried in a backpack/messenger bag or a substantial purse).

I like it because it’s cheap (just under $10) but sturdy, and because the four panels sewn around the opening can be brought together with Velcro strips to enclose your pet — which is a typical requirement on pet-friendly public transit systems. Alternatively, you can leave the panel on the shorter end disengaged, so your pet’s head can stick out. There are no ventilation panels, but even when all of the Velcro strips are engaged, gaps in the structure allow your pet plenty of air. They would also allow a small pet to escape, if she was motivated to, but there is a built-in strap and clip to attach to your pet’s collar.

The bottom of the Eco Carrier is stiffened with a removable, padded board. There is no way to clean it, other than by spot-cleaning. Given how inexpensive the carrier is, Kyjen probably assumes that you will simply choose to replace a badly-soiled carrier with a new one.

Though I was grateful to have the carrier that afternoon, the fact is that it’s really too small for Chloe. It measures 14.5″ long by 8.5″ wide, and is either 10″ tall (with the top open) or 9″ tall (with the enclosing panels velcroed together). Although Kyjen says that it will work for “animals up to 25 lbs.,” Chloe (at 13 lbs.) completely filled the carrier, to the point where the Velcro strips did not meet over her shoulders and head. I believe that this is a carrier best suited for dogs 10 lbs. and under.

Amazon link:
Kyjen Outward Hound Eco Carrier, Swirl