26 April 2023

Once an agility canine, always an agility canine

"Zip is a multiple champion. She competed in three different agility disciplines (AKC, USDAA, and NADAC) and achieved the championship title of Master Agility Dog Champion (MACH) four times in AKC...

But on January 8, 2011, everything suddenly changed. Zip was fetching sticks with a group of children at a Saints’ playoff party when she became the victim of a “hit and run” reckless speeder. Her very active lifestyle came to an abrupt halt.  Emergency surgery was performed that night to repair her broken back (technically, a T-13, L1 dorsal vertebral subluxation) and the tear in her lungs from broken ribs. She also had a left ischium (hip) fracture...

[after surgery and rehab] Then one day I brought her to agility practice. It was too hot to leave her in the car so my husband put her on a mat near the field. Suddenly Zip appeared at the base of the AF. She’d crawled 60 feet from her mat; she wanted to play agility. A friend and my husband decided to put the bars down on the course and I was handed a leash attached to Zip’s wheelchair. They said, “Run her.” I had reservations but Zip was gleefully barking by this time..."
More details at CNN, via Neatorama.  

Reposted from 2013 to accompany the post above this.

6 comments:

  1. Ah, nothing like a nice sob over breakfast.

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  2. I have doubts about the hit and run "reckless" speeder. Unless this car was driving over the grass, there is indication that the dog had run into the street. Nice story, but little details like that are irritating.

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    1. I think there's no doubt that the dog ran into the street. The question is whether the driver was driving at the proper speed. His/her not stopping defines the "hit and run" part.

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  3. If you really want to smile, watch a Basset Hound do agility.

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    1. Found one -

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2D_cBxcZSH8

      Also found a large dog (golden):

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiXnJ0mCdlc&pbjreload=10

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