The Daily Item, Sunbury, PA - More pet owners turn to custom-built wheelchairs to keep disabled pets moving

Fri, May 09 2008

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Amanda Jacobs, left, of Eddie's Wheels, straps Jack, a 3-year-old pit bull mix held by his owner, Bobby Kleinau, of Watertown, Mass., into a "pet wheelchair," Saturday, March 8, 2008, at the shop in Shelburne Falls, Mass. Jack lost all use of his back legs after a slipped disc damaged his spine and required surgery. Kleinau brought Jack in to test drive the aluminum wheelchair to see if it could help him recapture his mobility. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Elise Amendola /

Donna Blain's 7-year-old Maltese named Gizmo moves across the floor at Eddie's Wheels in Shelburne Falls, Mass. on Saturday, March 8, 2008. Gizmo hopped and hobbled on his deformed front legs before Blain adopted him a year ago. She ordered his cart after learning the odd pseudo-gait had damaged his spine over the years and would have required surgery. Now, he wheels himself around for hours on sidewalks, in parks and anywhere he can find treats and praise. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Elise Amendola /

Donay Queenan's 11-year-old auburn Welsh Corgi named Max waits at the door of Eddie's Wheels in Shelburne Falls, Mass. on Saturday, March 8, 2008. Max is healthy except for the degenerative myelopathy progressively paralyzing both back legs. Queenan brought Max in to pick up the custom aluminum wheelchair made so he can recapture his mobility. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Elise Amendola /

Leslie Grinnell, left, co-owner of Eddie's Wheels, speaks to employee Amanda Jacobs as they look at their stock of aluminum pet wheelchair frames at the shop in Shelburne Falls, Mass., on Saturday, March 8, 2008. Grinnell and her employees create pet wheelchairs to help disabled animals recapture the mobility their limp legs, numb hips or bent backs can no longer provide. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Elise Amendola /

Published March 25, 2008 11:12 am - When Gary Mikus learned that an incurable nerve disease was starting to paralyze the hind legs of his German shepherd, he immediately dismissed the idea of putting the dog to sleep.

More pet owners turn to custom-built wheelchairs to keep disabled pets moving

By STEPHANIE REITZ
Associated Press

SHELBURNE FALLS, Mass. (AP) _ When Gary Mikus learned that an incurable nerve disease was starting to paralyze the hind legs of his German shepherd, he immediately dismissed the idea of putting the dog to sleep.

Then he spotted an ad in a pet food store: "Eddie's Wheels For Pets. Help for Handicapped Pets." Now the dog named Bear, which has been Mikus' constant companion for a decade, has a lot of living left to do — much of it in his new pet wheelchair.

"He's healthy in every other way," Mikus said. "Until something tells me otherwise that he's failing, I'll do everything I can to keep him mobile and happy."

A growing number of pet owners are turning to custom-built wheelchairs to restore mobility to furry friends whose legs, hips or backs don't work. The owners' goals are simple: to reward their pets' unconditional love with whatever it takes for the animals to live normally.

The two-wheel carts support the dog's midsection with a padded saddle, and are secured with a shoulder yoke and chest strap. Most dogs have rear-wheel carts to compensate for lame hind legs, though a growing number of front-wheel carts are being ordered for animals with front-leg problems.

Donna Blain's 7-year-old Maltese named Gizmo hopped and hobbled on his deformed front legs before she adopted him a year ago. She ordered his cart after learning the odd gait had damaged his spine and would have required surgery.

Now he wheels himself around for hours on sidewalks, in parks and anywhere he can find treats and praise.

"He's into everything," said Blain, of Woodstock, Conn. "He just wants to live, after all those years of really hobbling and not being able to get where he wanted to be."

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