Caring for Canines

By Veronica Leonard

Man’s best friend just got a new lease on life from Jeff Collins of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. His fledgling company, K-9 Orthotics, is the only practice in eastern Canada providing custom-made orthotics for canine orthopedic conditions such as hip dysplasia and prosthetics for severed limbs.

Jeff Collins has had a personal interest in orthotic devices since 1992, when a motorcycle accident resulted in damage to his legs and arms and the amputation of his lower right leg. Collins studied health sciences and took an orthotics/prosthetics technician program in Ontario. Since graduation he has been employed by several businesses that build orthotic devices, but his disability and pain make it difficult to work in a conventional setting.

Last year Collins fashioned a knee brace for his dog, Stash, and was encouraged by his veterinarian to think business. He enrolled in a self-employment program through Dalhousie University’s Henson College and found a mentor in Dr. Caroline Runyon, chief surgeon at the P.E.I. Veterinary College.

Funding was a major obstacle to starting his business, but relief came this summer when Collins was selected as the first recipient of the Andrew Peacock Fund for Enterprise Development. The money leveraged a larger loan from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency for research and development to design and test his prototypes on injured dogs.

In pre-market trials, vets, owners and dogs were delighted with the animals’ renewed mobility and started spreading the word. Even before Collins began his marketing campaign, orders were coming in from across Atlantic Canada. More information can be found at www.K-9orthotics.com.