handicapped animals

Special Needs Pet Feature: Willie

Posted by Barbara Techel

There are so many caring pet parents out there who take care of special needs pets. To bring more attention to these joyful animals, and extraordinary people, this is a new feature to my blog. If you care for a special needs pet and would like your pet featured, please email me through my website contact.  Send a photo and I will forward the questionnaire for your pet to be featured in an upcoming post.


What is your pets name? 

Willie Kanieski

How old is your pet?

About 7 years old

Where did you get your pet? 

He’s a rescue dog we adopted from the DRNA (Dachshund Rescue of North America)

What is your pets physical challenge? 

He is almost entirely blind – he seems to sense movement but that’s it (he even walks into walls now, poor thing)

What is your pets favorite thing to do? 

Napping in the Big Bed is by far his favorite pastime.  He also loves to watch the tv show Simon & Simon with his Auntie Debbie.  He dances around when he hears the theme song on the television & happily snuggles up next to her for an hour.

What is your pets favorite thing to eat?

He loves carrots & cottage cheese for treats.  In summer, he loves fresh green beans, too.  Quite a healthy little guy!

What do you love most about your pet?

I love everything about Willie.  He’s my best friend, my protector, my walking partner & my snuggle-dog.  He’s the snuggliest little guy around!

What has your pet most taught you?

My pet has taught me that I have more patience than I thought.  I put his needs before mine – if he needs to go outside at 3 am in a blizzard, I’m more than happy to go out with him.  He’s also taught me unconditional love more than I thought possible.  He’s just always happy to see me, which makes me appreciate those in my life more, by applying that same principle to my loved ones, in addition to him!

Anything else you’d like to share? 

Willie is an amazing little guy that was abused quite badly & kept outside in a small cage with a Rottweiler before we got him.  He didn’t get to eat everyday & from the sounds of it, never got snuggles.  I am so glad he was brought into our lives and taught us to forget the bad of the past…he’s adapted so well to everything and is so affectionate and snuggly.  I couldn’t ask for a better friend!

I had the pleasure of meeting Willie, his Mom, Jenny and his Aunt Deb last summer.  Willie and Frankie hit it off well!  We would like to ask you, our readers, to please keep Willie’s Aunt Deb in your prayers as she is fighting cancer right now.  We believe in the power of prayer and hope, so please keep her in your prayers.

 

Special Needs Pet Feature: Dumplin’

Posted by Barbara Techel

There are so many caring pet parents out there who take care of special needs pets. To bring more attention to these joyful animals, and extraordinary people, this is a new feature to my blog. If you care for a special needs pet and would like your pet featured, please email me through my website contact.  Send a photo and I will forward the questionnaire for your pet to be featured in an upcoming post.


What is your pets name?

Dumplin’

How old is your pet?

10

Where did you get your pet?

Waggytail Rescue in NYC (www.waggytailrescue.com)

What is your pets physical challenge?

Blindness.

What is your pets favorite thing to do?

Eat!

What is your pets favorite thing to eat?

Almost anything, but if I had to pick one thing I’d say Bully Sticks.

What do you love most about your pet?

She is just the absolute sweetest.  She always has the sweetest look in her eyes.  Her eyes make me melt every time.  Yes, even though she’s blind now they still do.  Ironic isn’t it?

What has your pet most taught you?

To be a trooper.  Don’t let anything stop you or get you down — just keep on truckin’.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Dumplin’ became blind from SARDs (Sudden Acute Retinal Degeneration), which causes dogs to become blind within 5-10 days.  It is due to a thinning of the retina.  There is no know cause or cure.  I want to raise awareness about SARDs and funding for research (http://www.sardsresearch.org/).

Thank you so much for sharing Dumplin’ with us!  What I love is that you are trying to bring more awareness to SARD’s by sharing Dumplin’ with us.

 

Special Needs Pet Feature: Elke

Posted by Barbara Techel

There are so many caring pet parents out there who take care of special needs pets. To bring more attention to these joyful animals, and extraordinary people, this is a new feature to my blog. If you care for a special needs pet and would like your pet featured, please email me through my website contact.  Send a photo and I will forward the questionnaire for your pet to be featured in an upcoming post.


What is your pets name?

Elke

How old is your pet?

2.5 yrs

Where did you get your pet?

Fayette Co. Humane Society

What is your pet’s physical challenge?

Paralysis in rear legs.

What is your pets favorite thing to do?

She loves to get toys and scoot around the floor with them.  She also loves belly rubs in the morning, when she first wakes up.

What is your pet’s favorite thing to eat?

Well, she is on a frozen raw diet, which she loves.  And she also loves to get Bully bits to chew on.

What do you love most about your pet?

That she is a survivor. Elke was hit by a car and sustained a crushed pelvis and two broken vertebrae in her lumbar region.  She was determined to get better, and right now, she sees herself as a normal little dog.

What has your pet most taught you?

Patience and to never give up. Even when several vets told us to euthanize her, I just took one look into those eyes, and I knew she was not ready to give up.

Anything else you’d like to share? 

With all that Elke has been through, she is still a loving sweet girl.  And in her condition, she is still enjoying life.  She makes each day count, even when she is having a bad day and not feeling the best, she always has a kiss for me.

Elke’s mom, Dona serves on the board for Dachshund of North America as well as foster mom for many animals.  Please check out DRNA’s website for pets needing a loving, forever home.

Thank you Elke for stopping by and a big thank you to your mom for all she does to help the animals!