Wheelchair with skis helps disabled dog get around

MILTON, Wis. (AP) - A special wheelchair with attached skis has made it possible for a disabled dog to play in the Wisconsin snow.

Shiela Lund, of Milton, told The Janesville Gazette that her 10-year-old border collie came home in January, dragging her hind quarters.

The dog, Kadee Mae, had broken a bone in her back and was partially paralyzed.

But the dog was otherwise healthy and energetic.

"I needed to see what I could do to make her life enjoyable and mobile again," Lund said.

She ordered a special wheelchair to help Kadee Mae get around, but the wheels were no good in the snow. Research showed Lund that skis could be the answer.

Lund received a pair from friends, had them shortened to 30 inches and shipped to a Massachusetts company to be fitted to Kadee Mae's wheelchair.

Now, Lund clamps the skis to the dog's cart, and it glides behind Kadee Mae instead of getting stuck in the snow.

Lund said the $700 she paid to have the skis fitted to the cart was worth the investment."When she realized she could move and have her freedom again, you could see the joy," Lund said.

"Now she's going to be able to get back on our walks of two to three miles a day, which is a big factor in bringing her a quality of life."