Wounded Veteran Invents Toy for Faithful Service Dog

Listen to this article

Barrett Ball LLC officially announced today that it has launched the Barrett Ball into the pet trade. The product is the brainchild of James Hayes, a disabled veteran. Hayes served his country honorably with three tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. He suffers from both post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a traumatic brain injury (TBI). After a long wait he was assigned a service dog named Barrett. Hayes developed the new toy for Barrett, a loyal German sheperd that helps Hayes cope with his injuries but who can destroy every dog toy on the market. Hayes set out to invent a dog ball that couldn’t be destroyed, but rather enjoyed by heavy chewers like Barrett—and the Barrett Ball was born!

“My service dog, Barrett, has helped me tremendously in managing my PTSD and TBI,” Hayes said. “I wanted to create a toy he could finally enjoy as a way of giving back to him for all he has given me.”

The patent-pending Barrett Ball is made of solid natural rubber. Because the toy is one complete unit without a seam, it is virtually indestructible. It is solid—not hollow like other products Hayes has tried unsuccessfully with Barrett. Barrett and many other dogs have proven that the new ball is great for chewing, training and playing fetch. It comes in two sizes—large, which has a 5-inch diameter, weighs 2 pounds and comes in neon green, and medium, with a 2.5-inch diameter, 0.8-ounce weight and royal blue color.

Hayes is actively seeking business and distribution partners to help in bringing the Barrett Ball to market. To learn more about the Barrett Ball, contact Hayes at (315)694-8440 or by email [email protected].