Meet the Handicapables
Maple
Found as a stray in Tampa, Maple is significantly inbred, she was born with both front legs deformed and an adorable overbite.
Handicapability: Deformity of both front legs, overbite
Female
Birthday (Approximately): February 2018
Weight: 29 pounds
Favorite things: Meeting new people to hug, sleeping, running in her wheelchair
Adoption status: Maple is adopted and now is one of the sweet faces of our Handicapable program.
Murdock
Murdock was a found as a stray in Miami. When he was rescued he was diagnosed with severe glaucoma and had a double enucleation (both eyes removed). He found his forever family at a Handicapables event!
Handicapability: Blindness
Male
Birthday (Approximately): August 2008 to 2010
Weight: 50 pounds
Favorite things: Ear scratches, cuddles, and his fur sisters
Adoption status: Murdock is adopted and now is one of the sweet faces of our Handicapable program.
Words from his family
The stigma of being handicapped is at best a form of pity, at worst it means that you are isolated. Inclusion and acceptance is something that will heal many scars and ailments as well, as to give individuals confidence. When I talk about Murdock to people they immediately pity him, saying that he cannot have a live a full life without sight. I remind them people go blind every day, be it something they did to themselves, bad genetics, or something that was a freak accident. We all learn to adapt. Although they still say it is “Different.” The thing about “Different” to them it’s a burden. They manifest their guilt and uncertainty with a single word. Everyone is different, be it race, creed, gender, or personality.
While I was at the Handicapables event, I was taken aback by the sheer happiness these dogs brought to the table. Each one had different issues and handicaps, but one thing you did not see with their interaction with each other was the emotion pity. The moment Murdock claimed us at this event. I never worried that I was getting a handicapped dog. You see, I have a handicap as well. My life is impacted by epilepsy, but I live a full life. I saw a soul that needed to know in his last years that he would be taken care of and loved, with every wish fulfilled.
It has been a learning process for all of us, but after just a short time my other two dogs help to guide him through unfamiliar areas while we look on giving them encouragement. He completely trusts not only me and my wife but his two fur sisters. So much so, it reminds me of a point in the book “White Fang.” Where his Love Master “Weedon Scott” commanded White Fang to jump over the edge of the cliff, he did so without hesitation. The two men did manage to stop White Fang from jumping off the cliff, but it showed the men the love and trust in which he gave them. Murdock is one and the same as White Fang, his love and trust are unmatched within the household.
Dallas
Dallas’s life before rescue is pretty unknown. He was rescued from Texas without use of his back legs. We now know he has a fair amount of congenital deformities.
Handicapability: Amputation of rear legs, tail, only has one kidney
Male
Birthday (Approximately): October 2018
Weight: 38 pounds
Favorite things: playing, ear scratches, bully sticks
Adoption status: Dallas is adopted and now is one of the sweet faces of our Handicapable program.
Layla
Layla and her two sisters were born with severe glaucoma. Layla had one eye removed, and shortly after, her second eye removed, rendering her completely blind but happy as can be.
Handicapability: Blindness
Female
Birthday (Approximately): 2017
Weight: 60 pounds
Favorite Things: Cuddling, playing with her fur sister, giving kisses, belly rubbins
Adoption status: Layla is adopted and now is one of the sweet faces of our Handicapable program.
Dexter
An owner surrender after a woeful attempt at “fixing” a broken leg, Dexter ended up having the leg amputated once he was rescued.
Handicapability: Rear Leg amputation
Male
Birthday (Approximately): February 2018
Weight: 42 pounds
Favorite Things: Spending time with his humans, running in the backyard, stuffed squeaky toys, and toilet rolls.
Adoption status: Dexter is adopted and now is one of the sweet faces of our Handicapable program
Rico
Skittles, now Rico, has a congenital deformity of both front legs very similar to Maple.
Handicapability: Front leg deformity (both)
Male
Birthday (Approximately): March-September 2018
Weight: 30 pounds
Favorite things: Playing with water, protecting people from evil lawnmower, playing
Adoption status: Rico is adopted and now is one of the sweet faces of our Handicapable program
opal
Opal has a congenital deformity of her right front leg.
Handicapability: Front leg deformity (Left)
Female
Birthday (Approximately): December 2018
Weight: 30 pounds
Favorite things: Swimming, toys, treats, and CUDDLES
Adoption status: Opal is adopted and now is one of the sweet faces of our Handicapable program
Ruby
This beauty is sisters with Layla, featured above. She was also born with glaucoma. She first lost her right eye, then her left.
Handicapability: Blindness
Female
Birthday: October 12, 2017
Weight: 55 Pounds
Favorite things: Booty and leg scritches, chasing birds, wrestling with her brothers, and playing with her favorite chew toy a.k.a. the cat.
Adoption status: Ruby is adopted and now is one of the sweet faces of our Handicapable program
aaron
Aaron was rescued from Las Vegas after he was attacked by another dog and left paralyzed on his bottom half.
Handicapability: Amputation of rear limbs, tail, partial penile amputation
Male
Birthday (Approximately): November 2018
Weight: 42 pounds
Favorite things: tennis balls, tug-of-war, and playing with children
Adoption status: Unfortunately Aaron crossed the rainbow bridge on Christmas Eve. He earned his wings living us all devastated but with the most beautiful memories of his loving self.