In the U.S alone, there are approximately 3.3 million dogs living in shelters.
Many dogs struggle to leave the shelters and find their forever homes, especially if they’re perceived to be flawed in some way. For example by being perceived as being too old, too “ugly”, the “wrong” breed, etc.
And disabled dogs have an extra hard time finding new homes, as many people are reluctant to take on the extra work that caring for a disabled dog means.
But all dogs are good dogs, and that’s why we need more people like Tracey Fowler.
Tracey Fowler is a true dog-lover and she is currently the mother of eight beautiful pups.
Six of these pups are disabled and, thanks to Fowler, have received a new chance at life.
Fowler began adopting disabled pups after losing her furbaby Hayden.
Hayden was a German shepherd and suffered from degenerative myelopathy, a progressive disease that attacks the spinal cord in senior dogs.
After battling his illness for some time, Hayden could no longer use his hind legs and required a wheelchair.
With the help of the chair, Hayden was able to continue living a full life, even while the terrible battle continued.
After a long, hard battle, Hayden eventually passed away as a result of the disease.
But his struggle was not for nothing.
In honour of Hayden, Fowler decided to help other pups like Hayden.
And so, she ended up rescuing six pups with special needs, and she is now doing everything she can to give them a rich and happy life.
She calls her flock of affectionate pups “The Fowler Herd” and they all love her and each other very much.
The pups love playing outside, hanging out together, and exploring the local area.
Six of the pups are disabled and require special gear to get around, and two of them are able-bodied.
According to Fowler, taking care of a disabled dog is not as hard as many people fear.
It does include some extra work, and it’s not an option for everyone, but many people would find it incredibly rewarding.
All her pups are happy, affectionate and full of life.
Thanks to their chairs, they can run and play and truly enjoy life.
Not even the snow can stop them; when winter comes, Fowler simply swaps their wheels for skis.
Fowler hopes that she and her Fowler Herd can inspire other people to help disabled pups live a full and meaningful life.
“If we are able to show one owner there is another option besides saying goodbye [to their sick pet], then that’s what our goal is,” Fowler told Bored Panda.
All of Fowler’s pups are lucky to have such a loving and dedicated pet mum.
Thanks to her, they get to live life to the fullest, and they’ve got a big, happy family to share it with.
And hopefully, The Fowler Herd will inspire more people to adopt disabled dogs, so that even more pups get to live a long and happy life.
