We sacrifice a lot for our pets, but realize it is worth it when the cat or dog puts us in a better mood or relieves workday stress. We found one Heartland dog who doesn’t move too well, but his story may move you.
Buckley is a special dog. Greg and Shannon Engberg rescued him from the shelter as a companion for their other dog. Hip dysphasia and seizures have racked Buckley’s body and robbed him of his mobility. So the Engbergs made “Bugs,” as he is known, his own wheelchair and Buckley is mobile again.
Life is a daily struggle for Buckley. Getting around on his own was impossible until Greg and Sharron fashioned a wheelchair out of PVC pipe, a couple of wheels and duct tape.
“We have to do what we can,” says Greg. “We went and got him and rescued him so it is better to do this than just put him to sleep or something. If he can live a descent life, as long as we can give it to him, that’s what we’re going to try to do.”
While other dogs run and play in the snow, it slows Bugs down. His wheels don’t turn in the slush and ice and his struggle becomes almost hopeless. Almost.
“We bought a pair of old skis and we going to try and cut off the tips of them and have about a foot of ski on the front so at least in this type of environment, the snow, that he can get around a little bit easier,” says Greg.
Bugs will never get back to the way he was when Greg and Sharron brought him home to be Odin’s companion, but with the wheelchair they can still enjoy time together. “He’s got to get out of there, we’ve got to socialize him and he’s got to get out of the house and try to live as normal a life as we can give him,” says Greg.
Normal, except Buckley has the coolest wheelchair in the dog park.
Greg says he chose the duct tape with flames on it so Bugs would feel a little better about having to use a wheelchair. He feels it gives the appearance the wheelchair is moving fast.
~ Courtesy of WOWT Channel 6 Nebraska
Tags: dog wheelchair, wheelchair dog video
