Taking care of a pet with a disability can be difficult. They need a little extra love, but some people aren’t willing or capable of doing that, so they abandon their pets.
Thankfully, some people are willing to go the extra mile to help these animals, like one boy who used his creativity to save a dog.
Gracie had a rough start in life. She was abandoned by her owners as a puppy, and found covered in maggots with fur missing under her eyes.
And due to a birth defect, she was missing her front two legs.
She was brought to Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue, and despite everything she was able to find a home. She was adopted by Tammy Turley and her family.
They gave Gracie a second chance that many people wouldn’t have.
“Some people were saying, ‘oh, a dog like that should be put to sleep, what quality of life is she gonna have?’” Tammy told The Dodo. “But now that everyone’s met her they’re like ‘oh my god, she’s so happy!’”
Gracie also has two dog siblings—one of whom has three legs and the other is paralyzed in his hind legs.
Her disability didn’t stop Gracie from being a happy, energetic dog, hopping around on her hind legs.
Tammy was worried that Gracie was hurting herself, so she sought out a more comfortable way to move.
Although she considered getting Gracie a wheelchair, since she was only a puppy, it wasn’t worth it.
What if an affordable wheelchair could be easily customized as the puppy grows?
To build a chair for the dog, Tammy asked Dylan, the 12-year-old son of one of the shelter’s trainers, to use his LEGO sets.
With nothing but plastic toy bricks, he built a colorful and fully functional wheelchair.
It was thoughtfully made so that we could velcro her in
And when Gracie outgrew the first chair, he was able to quickly build her a new one. He built three custom models in all.
Now Gracie has fully grown, and was able to get a proper wheelchair. But she’ll never forget those special LEGO wheels or the boy who made them.
Gracie is now able to run around with all the other dogs, and for her owner, the story demonstrates how we should never give up on special needs dogs.
“I just want people to realize that special needs animals need a chance to have a loving home also,” Tammy told The Dodo. “She’s just like any other dog, so I don’t want people to feel sorry for her, I want them to enjoy her.”
Thank you all for helping Gracie overcome so much. We’re glad to see she’s enjoying life so much!
