Wheelchairs for dogs – A new lease on life!

By Windsor King MacArthur

People in wheelchairs are everywhere, on sidewalks, crossing streets, entering and leaving buildings, at parties, in churches, on the beach, climbing mountains, living, having fun. Happy and enjoying their new lease on life.

Why shouldn't they? They overcame great physical challenges against all odds, often defying conventional wisdom and professional predictions about what just cannot be done. Their determination and will to live overcame all obstacles. A wheelchair gave many of them the means to achieve it.

So, I wondered: Why are there no wheelchairs for dogs? Or are there? And if yes, why do so many dog owners not know about that?

The answer is that we are dogs not people. People count, dogs are counted out.

That's the brutal truth, my friends.

Unless you are fortunate enough to be a cherished member of a family that cares for you. Then you might get a second chance.

As you know I am presently experiencing an annoying predicament: My hind legs, the 'footsies' as my human calls them, suddenly have developed a mind of their own. They do no longer want to work for me. I fought them long and hard; they still refuse to work.

So we solicited the assistance of diverse slings to hold up my hindquarters. It gave me some limited mobility – very limited. First of all, I needed a human to strap me in, pick me up and walk me to wherever I wanted to go. It is better than nothing but by no means as good as free will – uh, mobility.

I was depressed, I was frustrated. I did not want to live this way. I did not want to live any longer. I stopped eating. I lay down on my bed to die.

My human promised to get me 'wheels” if I just decided to hang in there for a short while and fight for my life. A few days later we went to a shelter for abandoned and unwanted dogs to evaluate some of them for rescue. When he came out of the place, he had this strange contraption with him. A woman came with him.

Now, in my book women are always good and a good sign for good things to come. I was interested.

The two fussed around with the contraption for a while, then grabbed me, put something around my hind legs and under my belly. Then they strapped me into the contraption and said: “ Now, Windsor, you have legs again. You can walk on your own.”

With that they gently pushed me forward.

It felt strange at first. I was not really sure how to move but after a few awkward, disorganized steps the contraption started to move into the direction of the woman. Hey, that thing moved easily!

I could turn to wherever I wanted to go. No need for my human to help me or even to go with me.

After a few days of practice I will be able to control the wheelchair fully, I thought.

This was almost one year ago. Today everything is a well rehearsed routine. Slip into the sling, stand still and straight until the sling is strapped to the wheelchair and then go wherever the heart desires. It may sound pathetic to you but this wheelchair has given me an entirely new lease on life.

And do I have to add that my chariot is also a great attention getter. Wherever I go, people stop to gawk, cars linger at intersections to get a better view of the chair in action. Kids, women, men and even dogs
stop and stare at me in disbelief.

Actually, dogs sort of run away. They mistake me for a robotic dog with super powers. For example, this huge Irish Wolfhound was looking for a fight with my Lord Protector. I rode in on my chariot, attacked the big dog, nipped at his neck and, when he fled, I pursued him vigorously.
The Lord Protector stared in disbelief!
And so did the humans!

Then there is the case of the Rhodesian Ridgeback. When we first saw him, he was staggering around like a drunken sailor. His humans made a video of me in my wheelchair frolicking in the park. Then they went out and got him his very own wheelchair.

My Lord Protector runs and plays sometimes with a pit bull girl. She chases a tennis ball, he chases her and in my wheelchair I run both of them down.

Oh, you do not know what a Lord Protector is? First of all, he is a self-appointed Lord Protector. Then, if you want to see him on duty, you can go here. His job is to look dangerous and forbidding. He is my bodyguard.

We also know a pit bull girl that is paralyzed from a car accident. She has been living in a wheelchair for many years. She can outrun me any day. There is also another wheelchair Boxer not too far from us. And I am certain that many more fortunate dogs live in wheelchairs and enjoy life.

Seriously, if you know of a poor dog that has a hard time walking and getting around, tell his humans about wheelchairs for dogs. There are companies that make the chairs if your human cannot produce one himself. Google for 'dogs in wheelchair' or 'wheelchair for dogs' or 'wheels for dogs' and you will find them.

Right now I, Windsor King MacArthur, am pondering whether I should take the initiative and form a social group for dogs in wheelchairs. After all, humans play tennis in wheelchairs, basketball, baseball, softball, run the Marathon in a wheelchair, drive cars and do many, many other activities in wheelchairs.

Why should dogs not organize dog fun in wheelchairs? Chase tennis balls in a wheelchair. Catch frisbies in a wheelchair. You name it, we do it in wheelchairs.

What do you say?