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Rescue dog Effie has come a long way from the Apollo Support and Rescue in Justin, Texas. And now she is ready to be the star of the show! Effie has been proudly selected to represent all handicapped dogs during this year’s New York Pet Fashion Show.
Benefiting the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals, this annual show is the kickoff to Westminster Weekend and New York Fashion Week. All the dogs attending the February 7th show will be dressed to impress, and Effie is no exception. Effie will be the first Pit Bull and first-ever wheelchair dog to be featured in the New York Pet Fashion Show Runway. Effie is ready to show off her bravery and her Walkin’ Wheels Wheelchair.
Living in a plastic bin inside a Fort Worth garage, Effie was covered in urine burns and excruciating pain. Due to a spinal crush injury, Effie could not move the lower half of her body. Monica Brown, the Special Needs Coordinator at ASR, had never met a paralyzed dog before Effie. After seeing Effie’s living conditions, she knew she wasn’t leaving without her, and she would do anything to get Effie mobile again. Falling in love, Monica decided then and there that she would foster Effie herself.
After undergoing spinal surgery and recovery, Monica was concerned about getting Effie moving too quickly. Luckily, she had Jason Parker from the Gunnar’s Wheels Foundation cheering her on. Jason knew that the sooner Effie was in her Walkin’ Wheels Wheelchair, the more successful her recovery process would be. Jason encouraged Monica to get Effie on her feet as soon as possible and reassured her that Effie would never have to worry about outgrowing her wheelchair since Gunnar’s Wheels would gift her with a wheelchair for life. Her life was forever changed when she was granted her Walkin’ Wheels wheelchair, giving her the hard-earned second chance at life she deserves. Monica is amazed by Effie’s progress and how far she has come in such a short period of time.
“Effie can move more now and even wagged her tail for the first time a few weeks ago, and we certainly wouldn’t be walking a huge fashion show without her wheels.”
Handicapped Pets is proud to help sponsor Effie and Monica’s trip from Texas to New York. Joining Effie and Monica on their trip to New York City will be six other rescue dogs on their way to their new forever homes! Including Dove, Effie’s foster sibling is both blind and deaf. Representatives from Handicapped Pets will meet Effie in New York City and help her prepare for her runway debut.
Update: Watch the video below to watch Effie’s journey. From Effie’s amazing rescue, her first steps in her Walkin’ Wheels wheelchair, and footage from her runway debut at the 2019 NY Pets Fashion Show:
Visit here to learn more about Jason Parker and the Gunnar’s Wheels Foundation.
