After a hit-and-run accident it didn't look good for the Mexican street dog Speedy. Not only was he struck by a car, but he was thrown 14 feet over the side of a bridge. The accident was witnessed by Phaedra Barratt, who, despite believing there was no way the small pup could have survived the accident, stopped to see if there was anything she could do.
Phaedre, who is part of The Balam Foundation an organization dedicated to helping the stray and wild animals of Mexico, held out little hope, but she found and rescued the wet, cold and shaking pup from the bottom of a ravine.
She could see instantly that there was something wrong with the gorgeous pup's back legs, so she carefully wrapped him in a blanket and took him to a vet. The specialist told Phaedre, "This dog is never going to walk again. You have two choices: you can put him to sleep, or you can get him a wheelchair."
Phaedre was instantly taken with the plucky dog and was determined to do whatever she could to give him the best life possible. And the moment the pup was put into his own specialized wheelchair he instantly earned the nickname Speedy Gonzales, as he was off like a shot, pushing the wheelchair to go at speeds it wasn't designed for!
You can see how Speedy earning his nickname in the footage below where he takes his improvised wheelchair to its limits on a cobble-stoned street:
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Phaedre knew where she lived wasn't ideal for a wheelchair-bound dog, having to navigate steep hills and uneven streets meant Speedy was in constant danger of getting into trouble.
Fortunately, a dog trainer named Debbie based in California got in contact and agreed to adopt Speedy. Debbie felt Speedy would be great to train as a therapy dog, especially as he was such a good example of what is possible if you don't give up.
Speedy now has a new lease of life, bounding as fast as he can go on the beaches of California. Playing with other wheelchair-bound dogs, he can be found frolicking in the sand, providing joy for his owners and other beach residents – and we couldn't be happier for him.
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You can follow the exploits of Speedy and the other wheelchair dogs in Debbie's care by following them on Facebook and Instagram.
