Pets on wheels

[DesertFox]

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.

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20080325/capt.27b28d1c586e4740b6d57bcebb7ba340.pet_wheelcha irs_maea102.jpg?x=400&y=328&sig=lV1nI7Tmi2Uor.dW6zyq3w--

"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.

More (http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Pet-Wheelchairs-Watertown2C-Mass-Shelburne-Falls2C-Mass-Elise-Amendola/ss/events/hl/032508petwheelchairs/s:/ap/20080325/ap_on_re_us/pet_wheelchairs/im:/080325/480/27b28d1c586e4740b6d57bcebb7ba340/;_ylt=An4gkv9Fi7KpvY6jWJEw8i9H2ocA#photoViewer=/080325/480/27b28d1c586e4740b6d57bcebb7ba340)

[Taylor1]

Wow, what a great new invention. I feel bad for the dog though :(

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

I wish this idea would have been a lot more prevalent back years ago. My husband and I got a mastiff/bulldog mix from the pound when we were first married, and she developed advanced hip dysplasia to the point she couldn't even get up to go potty. At the time, the humane thing was to let her go with dignity. She was a wonderful dog, and deserved to live out the rest of her life. We still talk about our Maddie, and miss her something terrible.

[DesertFox]

I saw this idea on a medium-sized terrier at least 20 years ago. It was a skate contraption so it made noise, but that little guy went anywhere he could drag his doggy skateboard.