A life-saving necessity for your pet is woman-made locally.
written by jordan pugh
Amid a snowstorm in 2014, Trish Bartholomew lay with her dog, Madison, after he fell ill. Snowed in with no way to get to the vet, she wondered how she would carry an 85-pound dog to the car alone, even if she could brave the icy roads. Madison made it through the night safely to the vet, where he was well–cared for. And a few weeks later, Bartholomew literally dreamed the answer. She replicated the device she’d envisioned the next day with materials she scavenged from her house.
In 2015, her dreamy vision became Madison’s Stretcher Pack: a washable, reusable animal stretcher that folds into a conveniently compact sack. Bartholomew is a humanitarian at heart who has worked as an EMT and park ranger for many years. “I’m passionate about saving lives—helping people—and I’m passionate about people helping animals they love,” she says. She handmakes the stretchers in Morgantown with the help of a woman artisan.
One stretcher owner shares that it was the only way to move a frozen calf out of the weather. Local pet care facility Barkbarn keeps a stretcher pack on hand for emergencies, too.
Bartholomew’s Original stretcher supports animals up to 185 pounds, and the Hiking Buddy supports up to 100 pounds. Both may be purchased online. petstretcher.com
READ MORE STORIES FROM THE MORGANTOWN WINTER 2024 ISSUE
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