E-Paper
Now dogs move around in wheelchairs
Wheelchairs are useful not for human beings alone. A dog can also move around in a wheel chair.
Wheelchairs are useful not for human beings alone. A dog can also move around in a wheel chair.
Semi-paralysed Daisy of the Animal Rescue Centre at Kovalam near here is a dog that enjoys the privilege of moving in a special kind of wheel chair brought from the United States.
A road accident 18 months back had crippled Daisy. The miserable animal was brought to the Rescue Centre by its promoter, Avis Lyons, who hails from England.
With its rear part of the body paralysed, Daisy could only move with great difficulty with the help of forelimbs. It was then that Lyons thought about getting a wheel chair.
The device has two wheels and belts. The paralysed part of the dog's body and hind legs are tied in between the wheels with straps. With another strap the front part of the body is linked with strap on the rear side. When the dog makes moves with forelimbs, the wheels serve as hind legs.
The dog is attached to the wheel chair for a few hours during the day. It is untied during the night for the constant use of the chair could cause bed sore, a Rescue centre aid said.
Lyons had come here as a tourist a few years back. She was moved by the plight of street dogs. She decided to set up the centre for care of street dogs and other animals.
She had undergone a training in animal care at Goa before starting the centre.
