Disabled Chinese Dogs Keep On Rollin'

Last fall, I discovered a devoted group of volunteers in China who have been helping canine victims of the devastating May 2008 Sichuan earthquake. The photos of rescued pups in homemade wheelchairs really amazed me, so I couldn't resist sharing a few more. With so much bad news in the world right now, I hope these incredible portraits of resilience provide a little inspiration and encouragement. And last but not least, happy Chinese New Year!

Heartwarming Story Of The Week

It's not often that you come across an uplifting story that includes a disabled dog, a disabled child, and a happy ending, so this is definitely worth sharing.

Hawking is a lively Pit Bull/Basenji mix with a beautiful brindle coat and big, goofy bat ears. He was born with two missing vertebrae and a condition that causes him to drag his hind legs. Because of this birth defect, Hawking was abandoned in a suburban Philadelphia alley when he was barely 8 weeks old. Fortunately, he was taken in by the local SPCA and he blossomed in a foster home. As it turned out, Hawking was destined to become the perfect dog for a local family with a disabled child...

Shortly before Christmas, the Burns family of Ardmore, Pennsylvania lost their beloved Boxer to a brain tumor. Cheri Burns discovered Hawking while searching for adoptable dogs on http://www.petfinder.com/ not long afterward. His disability caught her eye - in a good way.

"That sounds bizarre," she wrote in an email to Hawking's foster family, "but our youngest has a congenital defect... and she is our biggest fan of animals. No one really knows she has a 'disability' because she gives it her all, but [moves] a little slower than most."

Cheri was referring to her 4th grade daughter, Becca, who has a mild form of muscular dystrophy. Since Hawking faces similar mobility issues, Cheri decided that he would make a perfect match for 9 year old Becca.

On Christmas Eve the Burnses officially adopted Hawking, and he and Becca have been fast friends ever since. Together, they play endless rounds of fetch are building a reprotoire of tricks. As Hawking approaches his first birthday, his life is looking better than ever. He seems to have found a true kindred spirit in Becca, and she in him.

I love this story because it makes so much sense to me that special needs dogs be matched with disabled children. If anyone knows of a program which does this in an official capacity, please let me know!

January 24 Is "Change A Pet's Life Day"

On Saturday, January 24th animal shelters across the country will celebrate "Change A Pet's Life Day" by offering free adoptions! Click here for a state-by-state directory of participating shelters. Hopefully this exciting event will result in adoptions for deserving animals like Elvis, the sweet, senior one-eyed mutt shown above. If you've been yearning to add another furry friend to your family, tomorrow would be a great day to visit your local animal shelter!

Sanctuary Spotlight: Rolling Dog Ranch

During the course of my work at the shelter, there are many days when I dream of rounding up all the hard-to-place, special needs animals and whisking them off to a tranquil haven where they will be loved, understood, and cared for unconditionally. Believe it or not, such a place does exist in a remote Montana valley. Rolling Dog Ranch is a remarkable sanctuary that's devoted exclusively to disabled animals.

Husband and wife team Steve Smith and Alayne Marker founded the ranch in 2000 after several years of preparation and scrupulous saving. Both Steve and Alayne used to work for Boeing in Seattle, and the couple used their nest-egg to purchase acreage in Ovando, Montana (population 71) in order to start the sanctuary.

You may think that “Rolling Dog” refers to pooches in wheelchairs, but there was a different inspiration for the name. On their website, Steve and Alayne share the reason:

“From the outset, we named the ranch the "Rolling Dog" because our dogs love to roll around on their backs in the sagebrush- and grass-covered meadows on the property. We'll have as many as four dogs at a time rolling around upside down, feet straight up in the air, scratching their backs in the fields.”

What a charming image! I can picture Dewey and Greta joining in with the rolling dogs and getting a nice, long back scratch…

Over 30 special needs pooches reside at the ranch. Their disabilities range from blindness to cerebellar hypoplasia - a neurological condition that impairs balance and motor control. Some, like Bailey the dachshund pictured above, have spinal problems. Despite his bad back, Bailey is leading a life full of mischief and glee. His penchant for stuffed animals is limitless and you'll often hear stories about his antics on the Rolling Dog Ranch blog (I should insert a disclaimer here: once you begin following the RDR blog, you may become hooked!)

The sanctuary is not just for canines, however. Over 20 blind horses and approximately half a dozen disabled cats also call Rolling Dog Ranch home. In fact, the first animal to arrive was Lena – a blind mare. Steve and Alayne had cared for cats and dogs in Seattle , but they were inexperienced when it came to horses. Through Lena , they were able to learn the basics of equestrian care, and her gentle spirit and love of life inspired Steve and Alayne to take in more blind horses and begin a website called www.blindhorses.org

The ranch is sustained entirely by donations, bequests, and grants. With so many needy animals, it is truly a labor of love that entails 14 hour days, physically demanding work, and limitless compassion. Still, Steve and Alayne insist that they are living their dream. "I can't imagine doing anything else" Alayne told The Bark Magazine in a 2006 interview.

And, so, during those moments of despair that inevitably arise at my job in the shelter, I give silent thanks for the fine folks at Rolling Dog Ranch and dream of a day when all disabled animals will get the same second chances that they do at Steve and Alayne's sanctuary.

Greta & Dewey's Asent To Stardom!

Greta and Dewey have made an appearance on a charming blog called Love Is A Four-Legged Word (www.fourleggedlove.wordpress.com). It's a wonderful forum for folks to share photos of their pets and "show the world that love comes in all shapes and sizes..." Hop on over to take a look and feel free to submit pictures of your own furry friends!

P.S. I found this on fourleggedlove and it definitely reminded me of our two resident pooches:

If you can start the day without caffeine,
If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,
If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,
If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it,
If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,
If you can take criticism and blame without resentment,
If you can ignore a friend’s limited education and never correct her/him,
If you can resist treating a rich friend better than a poor friend,
If you can conquer tension without medical help,
If you can relax without liquor,
If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,
…Then You Are Probably The Family Dog!

Help Shelter Animals On The 16th Annual MLK Day Of Service!

Calling all animal lovers! You're invited to join the 16th annual Martin Luther King Day of Service on Monday, January 19 (there are many weekend events scheduled, too). Civic involvement was at the core of Martin Luther King's philosophy, so Congress initiated the annual day of service to coincide with the MLK holiday in 1994. Since then, people all across the U.S. have put their time and talents to good use on the third Monday in January. If you're partial to animals like us, you can find a volunteer opportunity that's focused on pets. Click here for a complete list of options in every state!

Hounds In Hibernation

We were walloped with a series of major snowstorms in December, and as the cold weather continues, both of our resident Rebound Hounds seem have entered into full-fledged hibernation mode! Accordingly, Greta and Dewey have developed a talent for finding cozy sleeping spots - inside Dad's sweater for instance, or tucked between the pockets of a duvet cover. It's nice to know that some members of the household are finding a way to enjoy the cold, dark days of winter!

Belated Holiday Cuteness

Is there anything sweeter than a child's concern for shelter animals? We received this adorable hand-drawn card at work and it makes me smile every time I see it...

8 Wheels, 1 Heart

When we discovered this heartwarming story, we knew we had to share it. Enjoy!

8 wheels, 1 heart
By Dana Standish
Special to The Seattle Times

There are a few things about Tom Tilden that you should know: He's not some sort of softie animal nut. He'd never even had a dog before Bernie, his 8-year-old Rottweiler. He realizes Bernie probably won't beat the bone cancer that led to the loss of a front leg in January. And he's not doing anything extraordinary by giving Bernie a custom-made wheelchair to help her get around after her surgery. He's just doing what anyone would do when faced with a loved one's serious illness: He's trying to buy more time.

Tilden can relate to Bernie's plight in a way that few others could. He's been in a wheelchair since 1986, when a training accident in the Army left him a paraplegic.

"Before my accident, I was talking to an Army buddy about people who were paralyzed, and I said to him, 'If that ever happens to me, I want to die.' One month later, my back was broken and I became a paraplegic. My first thought was, 'I want to live.' It's probably the same for Bernie."

The 40-year-old Tilden, a freelance editor who lives in North Seattle, grew up in Eastern Washington, the youngest of eight children of a farmer who didn't believe in having indoor animals.

Eight years ago, his future wife, Nancy, said to him, "I love dogs." Tilden figured they were having a hypothetical discussion, so he replied, "I love dogs, too." He soon found out that what this really meant was, "Let's get a dog together."

When the couple went on a fact-finding mission to a kennel, they vowed they would not come home with a puppy. Then 13-week-old Bernie, a gal with an eye on the future, crawled onto Tom's lap, and it was all over.

"I had no idea what I was in for," he says. "I didn't know how much Bernie was going to become a part of me. If I had, I probably wouldn't have gotten her."

From the outset, Tilden and Bernie were inseparable, spending "every waking hour within 10 feet of each other." They participated in competitive obedience training for two years, the major requirement for which is reciprocal trust and devotion.

Bernie was such a star that Tilden tried her at sheep herding, and she excelled. "She was gentle enough to herd ducks," he explains. More important was Bernie's skill with people. "When we went for a walk," says Tilden, "everyone would notice how well-behaved she was. I wouldn't know any of my neighbors if it weren't for Bernie."

Early last year, Tilden noticed that Bernie was tiring easily and that her enthusiasm for herding had waned. After having surgery to repair a torn ligament in her right hind leg, she was still limping.

The vet thought she had a sprain, but when it failed to heal, the Tildens got a grim diagnosis: Bernie had an aggressive type of bone cancer in her left front leg. Tilden knew he couldn't leave a fallen comrade. "Bernie never gave up on me, and I wasn't going to give up on her," he says.

The Tildens debated about how many extra miles they were willing to go with Bernie, and then decided that her best chance would be amputation of the cancerous limb, followed by chemotherapy. This could buy Bernie another 18 months. Without the amputation, she would have had three months at the most.

"My accident," Tilden says, "influenced me to believe that just because a dog doesn't have a leg doesn't mean she doesn't want to be alive."

The Tildens have been working to get Bernie accustomed to her wheelchair. She still yaws to one side, but Tom is confident she'll get the hang of it. It's a matter of getting the cart to bear enough weight, without taking so much weight off that she doesn't have good traction.

The custom-made wheelchair takes some of the weight off her remaining front leg, which will help to protect her from arthritis and other joint problems. The $1,100 chair was made by Doggon' Wheels, a custom canine-cart manufacturer in Bozeman, Mont.

Bernie will have to get over her prejudice against wheelchairs. "She's suspicious of everybody else in a wheelchair," says Tilden. "She even barks at them on TV."

So far, she's doing well. She is receiving a drug that was tested at the University of Wisconsin and found to extend cancer patients' lives by up to six months. She has finished her chemotherapy and still receives regular acupuncture, chiropractic care and treatment with Chinese herbs. She also goes swimming twice a week at Wellsprings, a canine hydrotherapy studio in West Seattle.

"The swimming optimizes what Bernie has left," says hydrotherapist Sheila Wells. "In the olden days, people would just shoot a dog if it got a broken leg. Now you can get them into the pool one week after surgery, or as soon as the stitches have healed."

Swimming provides Bernie with exercise, with relief from weight-bearing and with the chance to do a job.

One of Bernie's jobs is to continue to heal and adjust to her new wheels. But perhaps her biggest job is one that just comes naturally: not to give up. "The thing that makes Bernie happiest," says Tilden, "is a job well done."

The Incredible Abilities Of Isobel, A Blind Sled Dog

In the frozen climes of Manitoba a remarkable sled dog named Isobel spends the long winters sprinting gleefully across the snow. With her playful personality and keen sense of direction, Isobel is just like her team-mates except for one distinguishing factor: she cannot see. The tenacious Husky lost her vision several years ago after her retinas detached, possibly due to a virus.

Isobel's guardian, Jenafor Ollander, runs an outdoor expedition company and recalls the reaction to Isobel's sudden blindness: "I remember a couple of people mumbling 'What good is a blind sled dog? You should just take her out and shoot her.' And I'm a bit stubborn in nature... and I said, so what if she can't be a sled dog? She's a good dog."

As it turned out, Isobel wasn't ready to retire from racing. She happily returned to the snow and resumed her position pulling the sled with the pack. "That dog ran like you wouldn't believe," said Jenafor. "She ran better than when she had her eyesight."

Since losing her vision, Isobel has even lead the team in tandem with another dog. Isobel's veterinarian, Evan Fisk, isn't surprised by her continued ability to race. "I believe that their senses adapt and they adjust, just like a person. We know that people hone in well on their hearing skills and their sense of vibration and time and distance and smell... dogs become really acute at that," said Dr. Fisk. "When they lose their vision, the rest of their senses kind of take over."

From the shores of Hudson Bay and beyond, Isobel's perseverance has amazed and inspired countless people. It's easy to see why, too! Sled dogs are truly phenomenal creatures, and Isobel's enduring spirit is especially remarkable.

Introducing Sophie & Raleigh

Allow me to introduce Sophie and Raleigh - two extra special pooches in need of forever families! Miss Sophie is a marvelous 1 year old Pit Bull Terrier with a heart of gold. Her left front leg has been amputated, so Sophie has a unique way of walking which is hybrid hop/wiggle. Make no mistake, however, because being a tripod doesn't seem to damper her zeal for life one bit! Sophie is a genuinely affectionate dog who has a knack for charming everyone she meets. She shared her previous home with dogs, kids, and cats and she is friendly and gentle. In short, it's hard to imagine a family that Sophie wouldn't adore. If you live in the Pacific Northwest and are looking for love on three legs, please email me about Sophie!

At just 18 pounds, Raleigh is a little goofball who is also available for adoption at the animal shelter where I work. This 8 1/2 year old Mini Schnauzer is a mini comedian with plenty of tricks up his sleeve. Raleigh would love nothing more than a home where he could keep everyone entertained with his antics.

After Raleigh was surrendered to the shelter, he was diagnosed with Cushing's Disease. The technical term for Cushing’s Disease is hyperadrencorticism (try saying that three times fast!) and it affects humans, dogs, horses, and occasionally, cats. The most common form of Cushings occurs when the pituitary gland produces an excess of cortisol. In dogs the symptoms typically include hair loss, skin abnormalities, an enlarged abdomen, and excessive drinking and urination – approximately 2 to 10 times the normal amount. Cushings is chronic and incurable, but several medications can be used to manage the symptoms. Raleigh is not currently on any medication since his symptoms are still mild, although he may need more extensive treatment in the future. Feel free to get in touch with me for more information about Raleigh, and please help spread the word that disabled dogs have the ability to make wonderful companions!

Kathy Barton: A Teacher Devoted To Disabled Animals

Kathy Barton is a true hero for disabled animals. As a 4th grade teacher in Velma, Oklahoma (a tiny town with fewer than 700 residents), she educates her students about special needs pets.

Kathy's passion for animal advocacy began several years ago when she learned about two deaf and blind Australian Shepherd puppies who were facing euthanasia. Knowing they deserved a chance, Kathy bravely stepped in to rescue the pups and ended up keeping one as her own. She christened the affectionate white dog Hope and began to bring her into the classroom.

Hope had a big impact on the 4th grade students, and they were eager to help other dogs with similar plights. Under the guidance of Kathy's guidance, they sold cookies and coke floats to raise funds for disabled pets. Through their collective efforts, they gathered $423. The money was used to help rehome a paralyzed Dachshund named Johanna. She had been rescued from an abusive situation in Tennessee and needed a way to reach her new home in Maine. Kathy's class gladly paid for Johanna's place ticket and learned a valuable lesson in the process: an earnest group of caring people has the ability to change lives.

Since 2005, Kathy's classes have conducted fundraisers for disabled pets each year. In 2007 the students were able to help three animals including Zack, a 13 year old Beagle (pictured above). Arthritis had reduced Zack's mobility, but he still longed to run and play with the three children in his family. Kathy's students chose to underwrite the cost of Zack's wheelchair because they understood his desire to keep up with his human playmates. With his new wheels, Zack is able to do just that. Here is an excerpt from Zack's thank you letter to Kathy's class:

"Some people think that because a pet can not walk that they are not worth having, they tried to tell my mom and dad that because I could not walk that they should not keep me anymore, boy am I glad that they did not listen!"

Recently Kathy developed a teaching manual in conjunction with www.handicappedpets.com - a website that offers support, services, and products for elderly, injured, and disabled pets and their caretakers. Let's put our hands and paws together to give Kathy Barton and her caring students a round of applause for their great work!!!