UK Edition
Animal Ortho Care, a Northern Virginia-based firm specialising in 'mobility devices for pets', helps around 200 animals every month.
The company was founded by Derrick Campana, who started out making prosthetic limbs for humans, including injured army veterans.
12 years ago Campana was approached by a vet who, having seen his work with people, asked if he would consider making a prosthetic limb for a dog.
"I built one successfully and said, 'Hey, there's a need for this,'" he told SPF.
Having spotted a gap in the market Campana set up Animal Ortho Care - and since then the company has helped thousands of animals, including dogs, cats, turtles and even pandas.
"We get emails every day on all types of devices,” he said in 2016, “I did elephants in Thailand, a ram in Spain. Goat, sheep, llama. Name it, we’ve probably done it.
"If I had to guess at the number of animals we’ve seen in my career over the last 12 years, it would have to be about 25,000.”
One of the animals treated recently by Animal Ortho Care was Angel Marie, a pony left unable to walk after her mother stepped on her leg.
Campana created prosthetic front legs for the horse using highly durable plastics - and he described watching her walking as "a dream come true."
Angel Marie's owner Lennie Green said: "The kids just love her to death. And she loves kids. It's really a great thing. The prosthetics, if it wasn't for that she wouldn't have made it."