What Are the Different Types of Pet Carrier Purses?

Pet carrier purses are handbags that are designed to carry small pets, most often toy breed dogs weighing 10 pounds or less. They are made for people, typically women, who want to keep their pets with them when they go places, preferring to comfortably carry them instead of having them walk or holding the pets in their arms. These bags come in many different varieties, including enclosed handbags with small openings, larger carriers that have screened windows, and arrangements of straps and harnesses where the pet itself becomes the bag.

Ordinary looking handbags are one of the more popular types of pet carrier purses, considered by many to be designer bags, and some have found their way into movies and magazines. These fashion accessories come in many different styles, and each one typically also offers a range of colors and fabric choices. At a casual glance they are indistinguishable from ordinary purses, and often are made to serve many of the same functions. Discreet openings that allow the pet to get air and to see out are typically covered with fine mesh screens, but in some cases small spaces are left so that the pet inside can put its head out.

Frequently pet carrier purses have zippered compartments for the owner’s personal items, some on the inside the bag and some on the outside. This allows everything to be carried in a single purse, making less to handle. The inner part of pet carrier purses generally also have a small strap with a snap on it for clipping to the pet’s collar, so the pet can be held securely in place. In some cases the handbag can accommodate two small pets instead of one, but generally the pets must be under five pounds each to fit.

Pet carrier purses designed to give the pets more room tend to look more like what they are, pet carriers, and less like purses. These are often triangular or oval, with large areas of screening and they typically have more room inside to benefit pets that spend a lot of time in them. They are likely to be awkward to carry for any length of time but work well for pets that spend a lot of time in the car, making sure the pet is confined but comfortable.

For those wishing to easily carry their pets without confining them, there are pet carrier purses that use the pet as the body of the purse. These come in many different colors and styles, but essentially they consist of a harness designed to cradle the pet’s body, with attached straps that allow for easy carrying. Small pouches or pockets on the wider sections of fabric hold essentials such as keys and cell phones, and the pet can either be carried in one hand or supported by a shoulder strap in the same manner as a handbag.