Cute Animals
Paralyzed Dog Who Was Abandoned By Owners Is Asking For Someone To Adopt Her
Penelope is ready for her new family.
The little dog was rescued by an Animal Care Centers of NYC (NYCACC) shelter after she was picked up as a stray. Penelope couldn’t move her back legs. She’s paralyzed.
To better serve special needs animals like Penelope, the NYCACC has the New Hope Program, a “community initiative aimed at finding homes for New York City’s homeless animal population, especially those that require specialized medical care or behavior training,” according to NYCACC’s website.
Through the New Hope Program, no-kill shelters and rescues take in special needs pets from NYCACC’s open-admission shelters and provide them with the long-term, specialized care they need to live.
Friends with Four Paws is the lucky rescue that ended pulling Penelope from an NYCACC shelter and placing her in their special needs program, inspired by Diana — the paralyzed pup of Friends with Four Paws’ vice president, Nina Aguero Rios.
“We just had to pull her,” Rios tells PEOPLE about her rescue’s reaction to Penelope’s story.
Friends with Four Paws moved Penelope from the New York City shelter to a foster home. It only took a few days for her foster parent to discover that Penelope is a “sweet” and “people-oriented” pooch.
Because of this, Nina and Friends with Four Paws believe that Penelope was someone’s pet before ending up on the street. According to Nina, the 8-year-old canine was likely abandoned after her paralysis developed.
“Likely it is IVDD, which is intervertebral disc disease,” Rios says of how vets have diagnosed Penelope’s paralysis. “It’s where the back just is not strong enough to support the body and gives out.”
Penelope’s friendly personality and eager-to-please attitude helped her quickly adapt to using a wheelchair to get around.
“When we fitted her for the wheelchair. It took her, honestly, half a block, and she just went with it,” Rios says of Penelope’s first walk in her custom wheels.
Now, Penelope and her wheelchair are looking for a forever home.
“Super relaxed and loves to hang out with you on the couch and just chill,” the rescue’s vice president adds to Penelope’s personality.
Penelope gets along with other dogs and children and is ready to show animal lovers how exceptional special needs pets can be.
“You adapt to their needs fairly quickly. First off, as long as the dog is not in pain, paralyzed dogs can lead such a wonderful life,” Nina shares of caring for a disabled pet, adding that “It’s impressive how resilient they are and how sweet they are.”
Interested parties may visit the Friends with Four Paws’ website.
Source: People
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