Cute Animals
Kids learn to be kinder with the help of a 2-legged dog

- Paige Bradford, a special education teacher, is passionate about disability rights.
- When she spotted a special two-legged dog for adoption, Tobi, she brought him home at once.
- Now, Paige brings Tobi to her class, teaching her students how to be kinder and more sensitive toward others’ needs and feelings.
Special education teacher Paige Bradford is teaching her students about love, compassion, and acceptance with the help of her extraordinary pup, Tobi.
Tobi, a miniature Australian shepherd, was born without front legs. As soon as Paige spotted him in a shelter listing in 2018, there was no hesitation on her part to bring him home. And in July 2018, she took him in her life.
“Tobi is a 5-year-old mini-Australian shepherd who was born without his front legs. He is missing two ribs and his organs are compressed, and he also has degenerative disk disease from walking on his back legs,” Paige said.
Passionate about disability rights, Paige started a GoFundMe for Tobi’s wheels to be customized. He had a special wheelchair from the animal shelter where he came from, Human Society of North Texas, but it needed adjustments for Tobi’s body type.
Paige added, “Make no mistake, he lives a happy life and is just like any other dog. He steals our food if we leave it within reach, destroys toys, and barks whenever anyone knocks on the door.”
Paige decided to bring her little pup into her classroom. She thought his presence would create deeper connections among her students. True enough, Tobi has helped the students to see past disabilities and instead focus on someone’s heart.
It was natural for kids, though, to ask questions about Tobi’s condition, but they soon accepted him and saw him “as a really cute dog.”
Because of Tobi, Paige’s class has opened meaningful conversations among her students and helped them get rid of the stigma around disabilities.
Tobi has also started giving emotional support to kids with disabilities and PTSD, and helping troubled students by attending therapy sessions.
“One of the things that was really fun was to work on some of my students’ goals while they were playing with Tobi, because they didn’t even notice they were doing hard work,” Paige shared.
Tobi’s becoming part of Paige’s life has not only given her happiness from petting him, but has also changed the lives of her students. The kids have started to be kinder and more motivated, especially when Tobi is around — and this affects the school experience altogether.

“My students both with and without disabilities interact with each other and have really rich and engaging discussions,” Paige added. “They support each other and they’re kind to each other.”
Ah, little things leave big impact. Just like how you did, Tobi.
Source: Inspire More

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