Walkin' Pets makes wheelchairs for furry friends

July 21--AMHERST -- Mark Robinson is in the business of happiness, giving old, aging and disabled pets a new "leash" on life.

His company, Walkin' Pets, based in Amherst, created the Walkin' Wheels adjustable dog wheelchair and other products, which he estimates have saved between 250,000 and 500,000 animal lives across the world.

"We believe aging, injured and disabled pets are valuable and deserve to live happy, healthy lives," Robinson said.

All too often, he added, people will say, "I wish I had known about this before I put my dog down."

"We want to show people that there is often an alternative to euthanasia," he said.

The business, formerly handicappedpets.com, started in 2001 as a message board for people with questions about how to care for elderly or disabled dogs.

As the board's audience grew, Robinson began to notice the same few complaints about the products available, mostly that they wanted ramps and lifting harnesses.

And then, "I began to listen," he said.

Animal wheelchairs at the time were clunky, expensive and difficult to work with. Robinson thought he could fix some of the recurring problems and began to devote his time and energy to it, going as far as to mortgage his house for a product he believed could save lives.

By 2008, he saw his first product sample "and it was beautiful," he said.

Now, 10 years later, his wheelchairs have appeared on dogs, cats, rabbits, deer and even a skunk. Chris P. Bacon, a therapy pig who went viral after a newscaster started laughing hysterically about the pig's name on television, also sports a set of Walkin' Wheels.

The wheelchairs are adjustable and after three measurements, can be shipped the same day. This is a far cry from the earlier "contraptions," as Robinson called them, which required 13 specific measurements and took several weeks to arrive.

There are dozens of products such as splints, harnesses, stretchers, even a "drag bag" to help protect the legs of dogs who are scooting around the house without their wheels. They recently released a blind dog halo, a lightweight, plastic ring that will help blind dogs find their way.

They have received photos and videos of pets playing, hiking, swimming and more, finally able to do things that once seemed to be long in the past.

Still, dealing with an aging pet, particularly one for whom veterinarians have suggested euthanasia, is a difficult and sensitive subject. But Mikayla Feehan, social media coordinator, wanted to make sure customers saw the wheelchair for the happy occasion it is.

"For a lot of people, their dog has been down for so long and now they get to see them back up, running and playing," she said.

According to a recent study, Robinson said, 62 percent of pet owners let their dogs sleep in bed with them and view the pet as family.

Feehan shared the story of a woman she met recently whom doctors said had only a week to live. The woman's three Irish Setters were sneaked into the hospital to say their goodbyes. One of them placed its head on her lap, an act that gave her comfort. That was four years ago, and miraculously, the woman is still alive. Now, her dog is in a wheelchair, and now that her dog needs her, she is going to be there.

Another person, Feehan said, had a dog who needed a wheelchair. He now runs a nonprofit that donates wheelchairs to dogs in need.

"That's what these products do," said Marketing and Public Relations Director Lisa Murray said.

To help spread the word, Feehan and Murray sat down and brainstormed, ultimately coming up with the idea for a music video.

The short video, starring a number of animals in their Walkin' Wheels, with lyrics by Feehan, won them an award at the Canine Film Festival in Florida, and will appear at other festivals in the coming months.

They also create a yearly calendar, taking submissions from their customers.

Aside from for-profit work, the company also has a handicapped pets foundation, which donates mobility equipment to families in need, as well as a shelter program, which helps rescue dogs who may be less likely for adoption to get the equipment that will help them find their forever homes.

The goal, Robinson said, is to make sure no one else has to say, "I wish I had known about you sooner."

This is important work, he said.

"We're saving lives."

For more information visit www.walkinpets.com or call 888-253-0777.

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