A paralyzed dachshund is walking with his family again, thanks to an early Christmas present he received this year.
Trey and his owners live in College Park, Ohio, and used to love going on walks all the time. Unfortunately, in October, the dog started to lose the use of his hind legs, according to Newsweek.
After his owners, Patty Rader and her husband, took him to the veterinarian, they found out that Trey’s spinal cord was damaged and that he was paralyzed from the mid-back down.
Spinal cord damage is common among dachshunds, with around 25 percent receiving it at some stage of their life due to their long backs and small legs, according to the Universities Federal for Animal Welfare.
Trey’s inability to walk again became a challenge for the Raders’, so they searched for ways to help their poor pup out.
The family learned of a program through online pet product retailer Chewy called ‘Letters to Chewy Claus.’ The program gives pet owners the opportunity to submit their holiday wish lists, on behalf of their pets, to the retailer for Chewy Claus to review and possibly respond.
Trey’s owners sent a letter to Chew Claus, hoping to receive a gift that would help their dog again.
Watch below as Trey uses his wheelchair to walk again
“My mommy and daddy love me more than all the sand at all the beaches, but I know they are struggling,” the letter said. “What I really want for Christmas is to be able to run and play again but my heart tells me what I need are essentials for paralyzed pups like myself.”
Despite over 65,000 letters being submitted to Chew Claus, Trey’s letter did not go unnoticed, and he and his family were surprised with a gift.
Trey received his own wheelchair, helping him walk with his ecstatic family again.
“He’s such an amazing dog, and for him to be able to play and to be able to run outside. That is just going to be the most awesome feeling to actually see that,” Patty Rader told Newsweek.
Heartwarming footage from Chewy via WLWT shows Trey using his wheelchair to walk with his delighted owners, who appear happy that the dachshund has a bit of his old life back again.
You can follow Ethan Letkeman on Twitter at @EthanLetkeman.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.