ArmORHand Gloves for Animal Handling

Of all the animals I’ve handled or cared for, a bite from a cat is my worst injury I’ve received. While this event happened over twenty years ago, I still experience pain in my hand from the event. The infamous bite to the hand was delivered from my own cat when I attempted to clean an injury he had sustained. Needless to say, the vet finished his cleaning and I ended up in the hospital getting IV antibiotics for a bone infection. I truly wish I’d had ArmOrHand Glove protection back then.

A veterinarian named Dr. Laura Catena also experienced a cat bite on her hand – one that was quite similar to mine. Using her expertise and knowledge, she developed gloves that protect against animal-related injuries, but still allows for fear-free, easy handling.

Fear Free Handling

“The purpose of The ArmOR Hand Gloves is to allow safe and proper animal restraint technique,”Dr. Catena explains. “Proper technique can be achieved because of the superior flexibility and dexterity of the gloves. ArmOR Hand Protector Gloves offer protection to the wearer, while facilitating restraint of the animal by allowing sufficient flexibility and dexterity.”

Fear Free handling is a big deal in the world of animals. No matter what type of animal you’re dealing with, your goal should be to eliminate fear. It’s not always possible, but it’s always top of mind. It doesn’t matter how “tame” or “wild” the animal is – you don’t want to be bitten. Fear is a big reason why bites happen.

Like the inventor, Dr. Catena, I hate wearing traditional thick protective gloves because I can’t feel the animal. I worry about how much force I’m applying. I worry I’m holding animals too tightly or grabbing them too roughly. You don’t have to worry about those things with ArmOrHand gloves. The fingerless gloves still protect your hands while allowing plenty of ease in handling animals.

Here are a few things I love about ArmOrHand gloves:

• Developed by a veterinarian: This is important when you’re dealing with new products. Vets know what you need. These gloves were developed by Dr. Laura Catena.
• Washable: Gloves get dirty quick when you’re handling feral animals. It’s a good idea to have gloves that are easily washable.
• Open Finger: Depending on the animals you’re handling, this may or may not be to your advantage, but it’s a great choice to have. It’s nearly impossible to open the locks of a trap when you’re wearing super thick gloves. These give you the ability to open the latches and even text a partner to let them know you’re out trapping at 2 am. They also give you enough dexterity to clip nails, administer vaccines or do any one of 1000 things that require dexterity.
• Four Sizes: I usually wear a large and that’s what they sent for review. They felt just a bit snug, which is ideal. It essentially “fits like a glove”.
• Synthetic: I think that animals can sense when you’re making them deal with the skin of another animal. These gloves are made from 100% synthetic ingredients. It’s a strong stretch CORDURA® and a double layer of knitted material.
• Reinforced: These gloves are reinforced in statistically high bite areas, meaning they understand the dangers of handling.
• Cool enough to wear in the desert.

While we haven’t had the opportunity to actually handle wildlife with these gloves on (we hope that changes soon), we did spend some time with our own animals. Even our temperamental cats accepted them easily.

If you work with animals, whether wild, feral or domestic, I hope that you’ll take the precautions needed to protect yourself. We need more rescuers, not fewer. These gloves will make a difference in your work and help protect you as well as the animals that you handle.