Our Company |
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Thera-Paw and Able Pet team. We are always happy to help you and your pet
with any questions or special needs. |
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Ilaria and
“Sunder”
Ilaria Borghese,
MS, MA, OTR/L,
obtained her MS in Neuroscience from the University
of Connecticut in 1994, and her MA
in Occupational Therapy from New
York University
in 2000. She is the President of Thera-Paw, Inc., a
company that develops, manufactures, and distributes splints, braces,
protective garments, and supports, as well as other assistive products for
animals with special needs. Using her experience in human-based therapy and
rehabilitation, she works closely with small animal practitioners to develop
novel approaches in custom splinting and bracing.
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Ilaria created the Introduction to Splinting in
Veterinary Medicine CD-ROM, an instructional guide to custom splinting
with thermoplastics. She continues to
teach new approaches to splinting and bracing at veterinary conferences and
with The Canine Rehabilitation
Institute. Ilaria publishes and
distributes Able Pet, a physical rehabilitation resource catalog for
veterinary practitioners. Also, Ilaria has a special interest in Greyhound
dogs and their specific medical conditions. She has lectured and written articles on
paw-related issues in ex-racing Greyhounds and, working with Dr. Steve Swaim,
has conducted one of the largest epidemiological studies on the breed. Ilaria has four Greyhounds, all with
special needs. When not surrounded by
hounds, Ilaria likes to ride her horses, Kiefer, a dependable and clever QH
paint, and Irial’s Dragonfly, an adventurous and inquisitive Trakehner. She is
on the board of the Tewksbury Trail Association and the Equestrian Committee.
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Maria and “Haley”
Maria Denzer,
BS-Business Administration, has been the General Manager for Thera-Paw since
2005. Maria coordinates the
development and manufacturing processes for new assistive products for
animals with special needs. She works
with other developers, manufacturers, and distributors to consolidate efforts
and maximize exposure in the veterinary rehabilitative market. When not behind
the desk or on the phone, Maria enjoys spending time with her 6 year old lab,
Haley. Her medical experiences with
Haley (2 ACL surgeries and mast cell tumor removal) have helped Maria to
better understand the special needs of animals and their owners.
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Mary-Pat and
“Penny”
Mary Pat Gallagher,
BA-Communications, has been a part of the Thera-Paw team since 2006. She and Ilaria met at a local handicapped horseback
riding center, where they worked together with special-needs clients. Mary Pat joined Thera-Paw, Inc. as Vice
President of Marketing and Advertising. In addition, she enjoys staying connected
with pet owners and the veterinary community, and handles much of Thera-Paw’s
customer service and sales. Mary Pat
lives on a farm with her husband, two children, and an assortment of horses
and dogs. She enjoys her volunteer
work with United States Pony Club as well as riding with the Amwell Valley Hounds and Pittstown Trail Association, of
which she is the current president.
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Martha and "Foxy and Suzy" Martha Symon is the
daughter of a dressmaker who taught her to sew as soon as she was able to hold
a needle. Her high school graduation gift was her first sewing machine, which
went with her to Green Mountain College in Vermont. While at college, Martha
made most of her clothes and did sewing and alterations for classmates.
Martha earned her degree in retailing, in which she worked for many years.
In the late 1970’s, Martha opened her store
called “The Sewing Bird”, where she did custom sewing and alterations.
After the birth of her daughter, she moved the business to her home. She
continued to work for JC Penny altering men’s suits and wedding gowns.
There, she worked closely with two Italian tailors whose tutelage was
invaluable
Martha has been part of the Thera-Paw team since January, 2007. |
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She helped to develop Thera-Paw’s new indoor paw
protector, the Cushy-Paw Slipper. Currently, all Cushy-Paw Slippers are
handmade with love by Martha. Martha and Ilaria work side by side, designing
and sewing custom carpal and tarsal wraps and other supportive or protective
garments for animals with special needs. She is also responsible for
custom-modifying the Thera-Paw boots when needed.
Martha lives with her husband
and their two yellow Labradors, Foxy and Suzy, both 10 years old. She often
takes care of other Labradors and has started a Labrador Camp called “Hell
Mountain Dog Camp”. All dogs who attend the camp have their own camp T-shirts
made by Martha (see photo). |
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