Animals with disabilities need a lot of care and attention. Mirjam Mader-Ullrich (43) from Absdorf in the Tulln district also knows this. In her practice she makes dog wheelchairs, prostheses and even orthoses. Her animal customers include not only dogs and cats, but also alpacas, chickens and horses.
Pug “Puschel”, Frenchy “Leo” and the Golden Retriever lady “Belinda” make the area unsafe with their wheelchairs. They owe this to Mirjam Mader-Ullrich, an orthopedic technician and bandagist with a big heart for animals. Since 2007, she has been making the lives of animals with disabilities easier. But at the beginning of her professional career, the focus was on people: as a trained orthopedic technician in the field of human medicine, she helped bipedal friends with their aches and pains.
“In 2006, I was approached by an animal physiotherapist about developing and producing a protective shoe for a dog, tailored to individual needs,” says the 43-year-old. The animal lover was immediately hooked. One thing led to another and the demand for the tools continued to grow.
wide range of products
The ‘one-woman business’ in Absdorf has now become a non-family business. Her father supports her with welding work for the dog wheelchairs and her mother works hard on the sewing machine. They not only produce wheelchairs, but also prostheses, orthoses, diaper holders, special harnesses and many other custom products.
But Mader-Ullrich also has a slightly different clientele: “I was surprised when I first got the call to look after an alpaca. “In the meantime, I had a wide variety of animals with me: peacocks, sheep, llamas, alpacas…” says the bandagist.
Hours of manual labor
Mader-Ullrich makes almost all of its products by hand. That takes a lot of time, she says. “Roughly speaking, I need about 20 to 30 hours for one aid. The aftercare should also not be underestimated. Sometimes there are bottlenecks that need to be changed and they are also time-consuming.”
Moving moments
The fact that Mader-Ullrich not only helps animals with disabilities have a better quality of life, but also puts a smile on the faces of their owners, makes her particularly happy. Many people would forego a vacation or necessary car repairs to help their pets. “There are often tears of joy when owners see their dogs running and playing in wheelchairs for the first time. “For me it is always an emotional moment!” says the Lower Austrian consciously.
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Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
