Johanna has a new life!

August 2006 Update. Channel 7 Boston runs a news story about Johanna!

May 25th, Johanna arrives safely in Portland, Maine. See the Story and Pictures.

June 2005, Johanna gets her cart - see the photos

Back to Kathy Bartons 4 Grade Class Page

At HandicappedPets.com, I receive stories every day about compassion and healing and the powerful bond that is created when a person and an animal commit to a special kind of caring. These stories teach us that the love for any living thing; person or animal, healthy or ill, is a miracle.

Watch this page for updates and links to the radio show, photos of the kids, and the ongoing story!

Meet Johanna's Parents and talk to them here

Channel 6 Coverage of the Arrival of Johanna in Portland (4 Meg Movie)
PR Newswire Press Release

Breaking Story About a Group of Children that rescued a Dog

The dog, in Tennessee, was abused by a gang of teenagers and left paralyzed.  A 4th grade class in Velma, Oklahoma, doing a class project with HandicappedPets.com, rescued the dog by raising money for a dog wheelchair and air transportation to her new home in Fryeburg, Maine.  She will be arriving at the Portland Jetport soon.

Click the photo for large picture, their donation letter, and to see their inventions.

Listen to the Interview (Windows Media)

Other formats available at the animal Radio Website here (The HandicappedPets.com story runs after a 7 minute interview with the SPCA):

Listen to ANIMAL RADIO in Real Audio

Listen to ANIMAL RADIO in MP3

In March of 2005, I received a story that deeply moved me. It was a story of hope and faith about two dogs, Hope and Faith.

They call them “Lethal Whites” because when this particular breed of Aussie is born deaf and blind they are killed at birth. They are ‘lethal.’ Kathy, a grade school teacher in Oklahoma heard about a nearby pair about to be killed and decided not to allow it. Both Faith and Hope are alive and thriving. Their story made it into the Gallery at HandicappedPets.com in the hopes that it might inspire others

So how do you change the world? How do you help change an attitude that a handicapped animal is worthless? Perhaps Kathy would suggest that you start with the children.

Kathy showed her class the story of Faith and Hope and was thrilled with their excitement. The kids came up with ideas about how to help handicapped pets and to spread the word. Several of them went to local business to raise money to help a dog in need and raised $423.00 – enough to buy a cart for a dog who could not use its back legs. A cart can give a handicapped dog a new life. Now they needed to find a dog in need.

The message was posted on the discussion board at www.HandicappedPets.net. Hundreds of people go to this site every day to discuss their challenges, ask questions, and get advice. It’s a community of caretakers. They, in turn, posted the message on other animal-related sites.

Animal Radio is a nationally syndicated radio show devoted to animals. On May 17th, Judy Francis from Animal Radio contacted HandicappedPets.com with a heart-wrenching story.

This is Boo. Boo was hurt by some children back in October of 04. Her back was injured and her back legs are paralyzed. She is also incontinent. In spite of that, she’s the happiest little girl you could ever want to meet.
	She has one broken toe with the bone protruding. She was tied in the back yard because her owner couldn’t deal with her incontinence. She has rubbed her hind feet raw dragging them across the dirt in the yard. She weighs 11 pounds.
Her owner has agreed to sign her over so that we can find her a special needs rescue if possible. This is a special little dog...just like all the rest of them. However, this one needs a break in the worst way. Can someone please help her?

Animal Radio intended to help. Judy found that Lauren Smith in Maine was anxious to adopt the little girl. Lauren is an area rep for DogsDeserveBetter.com, a website created by Tammy Grimes dedicated to freeing the chained dog, and bringing our 'best friend' into the home and family.

Mark Robinson and Deb Winters from HandicappedPets.com, together with Judy Francis and Hal Abrams from Animal Radio called Kathy’s classroom in Oklahoma and told the story. The kids were thrilled with the opportunity to help and agreed to donate the full amount to the cause.

Mark, Deb, Judy, and Hal then called Lauren Smith and gave her the news on the air (show date to be announced soon). She was so happy. Arrangements are now underway to fly the dog from Memphis to Maine, measure her for a cart, and start her on her happy new life.

As soon as the photos are received from Oklahoma, a site will be created at http://www.Handicappedpets.com/johanna that will document the story with photos of the kids, of Johanna, and her new cart.

As Hal Abrams of Animal Radio (http://www.AnimalRadio.com) put it “It’s especially fitting that an animal who was injured by thoughtless kids should be rescued by children who care.”

For more information, Contact Deb Winters at (603) 673-8854.

Discuss this article on a special discussion board just for this topic.

Please link to this page!

Link Information: Dog that was injured by thoughtless kids is rescued by an Oklahoma grade school class doing a project on HandicappedPets.com. Http://www.HandicappedPets.com/johanna