It’s impawsible not to smile at Super Scooty. She’s a mixed breed handicapable pup with some very real beginnings. But don’t be fooled by the goofy grin, behind her happy demeanour is a girl who’s tough as nails.
Super Scooty’s story begins in Mexico, where she was found by a local dog owner. The vets suspect she had been hit by a car and left for dead. She had distemper, massive infections, wounds down to her bones, crushed hips, a broken tail, and a broken back. She dragged herself through the streets, struggling to stay alive. Scooty ended up in a hoarder situation (dubbed the “Hotel of Horrors”) along with other injured and malnourished dogs. Thankfully, she was rescued by California’s Baja Dog Rescue.
Erica Loring stumbled across Scooty by chance and immediately fell in love. She convinced the shelter she was committed to the round-the-clock care that Scooty needed. Underneath the broken, anxious dog Loring saw something special, and began the long journey to try to heal her pooch.
Vets across the city told Loring that Scooty wasn’t a candidate for surgery. They said, if she was going to get better, she already would have. Loring refused to accept defeat; she started treating Scoots with hydrotherapy, laser therapy, acupuncture and massage therapy. Loring states that the journey wasn’t without the “mentally challenging and gag inducing days”. For a long time she doubted whether or not she made the right choice.
But, within the first year, Super Scooty defied all odds and started to walk.
At first, it was only tentatively with her wheelchair, but she can now run short distances on her own. These days, Scoots only uses her chair for long walks, beach days, hikes and running. As her health improved, Scooty’s personality blossomed. She became the cheerful pooch we see today, even winning the “Happiest Dog on Earth” award from the Solid Gold Pet.
For more handicapable pets, check out Chester the Red Fox.