When Osceola Animal Services found Boo in June, his back legs were paralyzed and covered with sores, and his owner had confined the dog to a crate covered with a tarp.
The owner told deputies that Boo hadn’t walked in more than a year and had never been taken to a vet, Osceola County Animal Services said.
Eventually Boo’s owner surrendered him to Animal Services where he became “an example of what love and attention can do,” the department said.
Feeling bad for the long-haired Dachshund mix, an intern with Animal Services’ Veterinary Assistant Program decided to do something about Boo’s mobility issues.
Getting some recommendations from a veterinarian, Sophia Vermeulen took some PVC pipe and rollerblade wheels and constructed Boo a cart and sling for his back legs.
Now, the little black pooch has become a fixture at Animal Services and can often be found in an inflatable pool with Vermeulen doing water therapy.
Considering Boo’s condition when he came to the shelter, seeing the two splashing and playing in the water is “something no one would have imagined a month ago,” Animal Services said in a release.
“The little guy has made amazing progress,” Animal Services director Kim Staton said. “All because of the passion of the staff and volunteers who work here.”
Vermeulen is currently fostering Boo.
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