Rescued Beagle Pup Gets New Hips & Wheelchair

When volunteers from Kentucky’s Way Home Rescue Alliance emailed area rescue groups regarding a special beagle with severe walking problems due to her young life spent in too-small a cage, the Paws with Pride Rescue group out of Akron, Ohio stepped forward to give this special pup a new leash on life. As Kathy Antoniotti of the Beacon Journal reports, Sydney, a rescued beagle pup, gets new hips & wheelchair courtesy of the Ohio based rescue organization.

Rescued Beagle Pup Gets New Hips & Wheelchair

When Sydney arrived with her blanket, her squirrel toy and her X-rays, she was greeted by friendly faces and open arms.

“It was tough. I’ve fostered a lot of dogs in my day, but she was by far the toughest to let go,” said the puppy’s foster mom, Jamie Padgett of Richmond Ky.

Two weeks ago, Padgett pulled the dog and her six litter mates from the Estill County Animal Shelter in Ravenna, Ky., southeast of Lexington. All seven pups had problems walking, probably because they were kept in small cages, Padgett said.

Sydney was 4 months old when a hunting dog breeder surrendered the litter to the pound. But the agency has only 10 cages, so a local group Padgett volunteers for, the Way Home Rescue Alliance, takes many of the dogs.

The Kentucky group then sent out an email asking for help from other rescue groups, and Sydney’s disability caught the attention of Janice Mayfield, founder of Paws With Pride Rescue in Akron.

“I have a wheelchair dog I rescued,” Mayfield said, explaining her interest. She’s had the dog for two years and understands the needs of an animal with that kind of challenge, she said.

On Sunday, Mayfield’s eyes filled with tears as the four-seater 1975 Grumman AA5, piloted by Josh Hayes of Indianapolis, touched down with Sydney in a cage in the back seat.

The pup got around fairly well, better than anyone had expected for a dog that has only partial hip sockets at the joints.

“The vets were surprised at her improvement. She could not walk at all at first,” Padgett said.

A donated wheelchair is ready for Sydney’s use after hip surgery. Whether it is needed temporarily or permanently remains to be seen. She has an appointment at Ohio State University’s Veterinary Medical Center later this week.

Hayes, of Paper Tiger Air Rescue Transport, said he offered to fly the pup when he heard about the situation.

“As far as I know, there are only three other nonprofit groups in the country that do this,” he said. He left Indianapolis at 7 a.m. to pick up Sydney and deliver her to Akron shortly before noon.

While it can be both sad and disheartening to learn stories of puppies whose lives are put at stake by the hands of irresponsible owners or breeders, knowing that there are rescue groups and individuals around the world that are willing to help in whatever way they can is refreshing. Sydney’s foster says Sydney will be ready for her forever home in about 6 months after her life-saving surgery. Read more about Sydney and how this rescued beagle pup gets new hips & wheelchair here. And, please tell us your own stories or thoughts about Sydney or another dog with a new leash on life in the comments below.