Toni Cherrett, a Patent and Trademark Administrator is the
inventor of the Trover ® dog
coat. From a tiny child, Toni has worked and played with animals.
Her father was a championship show judge; his favourite breed
being the boxer. When Toni misbehaved as a child she was literally
sent to the dog house to share a bunk with the boxers.
Growing up with all kinds of animals in the house it was
hardly surprising that, when offered a chance to study at
a dressage centre outside Vienna, she jumped at it. Here she
trained with Hans Riegler, now a Chief Rider with the Spanish
Riding School in Vienna. Knowing the dedication needed she
thought she would probably manage six months. Seven years
later and now a stable manager she returned to England to follow
a career as Dressage and Three Day Event trainer.
Now working in Alderney she enjoys the island’s stress free
lifestyle which enables her to pursue her love of animals
as a pet portrait artist and creator of the Trover ® range of dog coats.
The inspiration for the Trover ® dog coat sprang from problems she encountered with Jacob,
her English Mastiff. Reduced to using dustbin liners and sellotape
to keep out the inclement weather with a souwester perched
on his head, she despaired of finding a non-slip coat.
Alderney weather can be capricious, rapidly changing from
brilliant sunshine to rain, low clouds and gale force winds
in a matter of minutes. When Jane was having similar problems
with her bedlington/poodle a Eureka moment arrived and the
Trover ® dog coat was conceived.
When Trixie Belle arrived shivering and malnourished from
Pound Puppy Animal Rescue she urgently needed a non-slip coat.
Jane’s creative ability and love of animals made her a natural
business partner for Toni (her husband’s cousin) and all
Trover ® hit the ground running.
Trained as a nurse and now practising as a complimentary
therapist, Jane is particularly interested in creating coats
for dogs with health issues. Ranger, a rescue Labrador with
alopecia, is delighted with his new coat while Trixie Belle’s
fragile health is already protected by her range of Trover ® dog
coats.
The patent application for the Trover ® (Toni’s Roving Overcoat) dog coat was filed in June 2003.
In August, the Trover ® range
was launched with a special fashion parade at the Alderney
Dog Show. The response from dog owners in the Channel Islands
and the UK has been excellent, and the Trover ® range ihas recently captured the imagination
of New Yorkers.
“The three ages of dog”
by Toni Cherrett ©2003
