Winston's wheels
Winston's wheels help dogs who need wheelchairs
Just look at what a difference this charity had made to some of their clients
Edna is a lovely 10 year old blue merle Rough Collie. She was energetic, highly active and playful until Degenerative Myelopathy started to show it’s ugly face back in June 2021. This condition presents with rear leg issues to start with, but progressively robs the dog of their mobility. Their Physiotherapist Rebecca Heald suggested they start to get Edna used to wheels and that wheels would actually help to keep her muscles in better condition for longer. For a dog with DM Edna is doing well and they are certainly giving this horrible disease a run for it’s money!
“Winston’s wheels charity have been marvellous in loaning us a set of wheels, again Rebecca Heald suggested we contact them. Edna took to the wheels immediately and they have kept her mobile and enjoying life. She really enjoys her walks with us and all her Rough Collie fur family and Fifi the Spaniel. She still runs, plays, barks her head off and chases the ball and Fifi.
Thanks to Winston’s wheels we have had been able to give Edna a very good quality of life".
When Bizzy needed help Winston’s wheels were there for us
Bizzy is a six year old, very petite, Staffordshire bull terrier. She was only 9 months old when she was picked up by the dog warden in Swansea and then pulled from the Pound by a local charity, when she wasn’t claimed.
“I saw her picture on their FB page and she was so small and sad looking I couldn’t ignore her. I wanted her to spend her first Xmas in her forever home, and we went and met her, and bought her home! But just a few weeks later, she collapsed and nearly died, the vet said it was a bacterial infection in her spine. We got her back from the vet a week later , she was incontinent and paralysed at the back end. They told me “just take her home and see what happens...”
She regained the ability to stand, and move around at home, but her back legs wouldn’t bend at all. As she was so young when this happened, she still wanted to do normal dog things. They used a buggy for a bit, but she managed to tip that over a couple of times, launching herself to bark at things!. It was challenging to stop her hurting herself when she was out. They couldn’t go very far and were really struggling to keep going.
Her owners were wondering if a set of wheels would be an option, but they were so expensive, supposing she hated them? Someone mentioned Winston’s Wheels and they got in touch. Rachel called them straight back and said they would be able to help Bizzy. Her owners told us….
I cried; it means so much to me that other people have been prepared to help us.
Bizzy took to her wheels straight away. She was like, oh thank goodness, this is SO MUCH easier LETS GO!!!! She still had her feet down to start with, but one day when we were in the field behind the house, and her boots dragged off in the grass, I thought I’m going to try the stirrups. Honestly I shouldn’t have even worried about it, it’s made everything so much
easier (for both of us) she can go through long grass, over sand and stones on the beach, I don’t have to really worry where I take her, or how long we are out for.
Apart from the benefit to Bizzy, it’s also been an absolute godsend to me as I have arthritis in my hands, and it’s now so quick and easy to get out of the house
Winston’s wheels are doing an amazing job, it really makes a huge difference to dogs lives. Thank you so much for being there XXX
Branwen’s Story
Siani rescued Branwen from death row about 6 years ago. Brannie became a dedicated companion to a black Labrador who’s twin brother had passed away.
Brannie currently lives with three brothers and a foster sister. Just over a year ago, Brannie went out to the garden for a bedtime pee. Her owner’s daughter found her paralysed. They took her to a neurosurgeon who investigated her issues and basically told them there was nothing to be done for her. The girls brought her home to consider the options. That’s when they heard about Winston’s Wheels. The generous gift of Brannie’s wheels changed everything.
Brannie has a brilliant quality of life, goes to the woods, the beach and anywhere she likes. She can play with her brothers and sister. Even though she is paralysed, probably by a spinal stroke, she has learned to wag her tail again. No vet can explain this. She has become the mascot for the RNLI and is well known locally. She also has an Instagram page called Brannie burns rubber.
Thanks to Winston’s Wheels, Brannie got her life back. We are forever grateful.
