Xavier is a 10-month-old butterscotch and cream tabby who, because of some undiagnosed neurological disorder, is unable to walk. That all changed Wednesday when the fortitudinous feline was outfitted with a custom wheelchair.
Xavier's disorder, which was discovered when he was still a ward of the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, is not paralysis. Xavier can move his legs, but he has poor motor control and cannot support his own weight. It is all he can do to crawl around, according to Laurelin Sitterly, his adoptive mother and RISPCA's humane educator. Read More
Read how Xavier inspired her friend, Marvin to give more carts- Hi! My name is Marvin and I am a five year-old black Labrador. Unfortunately, like millions of shelter dogs that are no longer wanted by their owners, I also lived in a shelter for months waiting to be adopted, not once, but twice.
Amy
Amy, Scooter's sister (on the left, Scooter on the right)was born with nubs for front legs. She can use her nubs to walk around but it is much easier for her in her cart. She was chosen because the class wanted Amy to be able to keep up with Scooter, who got his cart last year.
Zack
Zack is a beautiful, healthy, elderly 13 year old beagle from Florida. He lives with 3 active young children and misses being able to keep up with them. Zack was chosen because the class fell in love with him and his story and being active kids themselves, they wanted to help Zack be one of the gang. He just needs a little extra help because of arthritis in his back end.
Dear kids!
Hi, this is Zack from Melbourne, Florida. I am so sorry that I have not written to tell you guys thank you for my cart but my mom has been very busy because my baby has been sick so she was taking care of him. Now that she has had a chance to take some pictures of me and my new wheels I wanted to send an note to thank you for your generosity. It is such a great thing that you guys are doing by helping handicapped pets. Some people think that because a pet can not walk that they are not worth having, they tried to tell my mom and dad that because I could not walk that they should not keep me anymore, boy am I glad that they did not listen! Anyway, things are going okay for me right now, I still have to take medicine twice a day but I am happy that I can take walks again and skateboard with my boy. The new game that my baby likes to play with me is following me around while he is in his walker (and I am in mine) trying to grab my tail! I am really not interested in playing with him until he starts eating "real" food that he can throw down from his highchair for me! Anyway, thank you again from the bottom of my heart! Keep up the great work that you are doing, hopefully kids like you can help teach the big people in this world a valuable lesson. I hope that you guys had some enjoyment in knowing that you were able to do something kind for someone else (even if that someone else is a furry four legged "person"), sometimes the joy of giving is the best present of all!
When 4th grade teacher, Kathy Barton walked into the classroom with a dog at her heels the kids were all thrilled. They crowded around Chivez, a black and white collie, laughing and smothering him with strokes and kisses.
All of a sudden one of the kids jumped up and shouted,
"Hey! This dog is missing a leg!"
The classroom was instantly buzzing at the discovery.
"Look! She can walk and run just like any other dog!!!"
"We don't care that she is handicapped!"
and
"Miss Barton. it doesn't matter that she has three legs, she has a whole heart!"
Kathy Barton and her Velma, OK troupe of 4th graders made headlines last year when they reached out to an injured dachshund in Tennessee and raised enough money to fly her to her new home in Maine and purchase the wheels she needed to walk again. See Johanna's Story.
This year, she and a new group of 4th graders have done it again, raising $1,100.00 saving two dogs.
For the second year in a row, Kathy’s 4th grade class was learning about handicapped pets; blind dogs, pets with cancer, and animals that need wheelchairs, harnesses, slings, pet diapers, and other handicapped pet equipment. Kathy Barton works closely with HandicappedPets.com, the leading website for products, services, and support for handicapped pets. She is teaching that pets (as well as people) with handicaps can lead happy, healthy lives and are treasured companions.
Soon this class, like last year’s, was planning bake sales, coke floats, and fund raisers to benefit their chosen special pet. Several projects included researching handicapped pets and designing inventions to help animals.
Last year they raised $450 to help Johanna, a dog that had been injured by a gang of teens. They paid to fly the dog to her new home in Maine and purchased a wheelchair for her. This year, the class raised $1,00.00. Thet used part of the money to help Scooter, a Chihuahua they found on the HandicappedPets.com website that was born without front legs or feet, but is otherwise completely healthy. They also bought a wheelchair for Priscilla, a pomeranian pup in New York that was afflicted with the canine equivalent of shaken baby syndrome. They made contributions to several handicapped pets organizations and put together ‘care packages’ for some of the animals pictured in the gallery section of HandicappedPets.com.
Kathy Barton, along with thousands of teachers and caretakers around the country, works with HandicappedPets.com to create awareness that animals with disabilities can have quality lives and be an important part of a loving, caring family.
