The Little Pug Who Could

by Karen Lee Stevens. This column was first published in the Montecito Journal.

Down through the ages, the rallying mantra, “I think I can; I think I can,” has resonated with children and adults alike who revel in Wally Piper’s, The Little Engine That Could. This timeless classic is one of the greatest stories of motivation and power of positive thinking ever told.

There is a little engine of another sort that faces life’s daily ups and downs head on. Her name is Molly, and this perky pug is a remarkable testament to the indomitable will of the spirit. You see, this friendly four-year-old cannot accomplish a lot of things that her canine counterparts take for granted--simple stuff like walking on all four legs or going to the bathroom.

Like most puppies, Molly was born with energy to burn and initially appeared healthy in every way. But, at three months of age, the unthinkable happened--her back legs simply stopped working. After a battery of tests, veterinarians determined that her spine was twisted as a result of a birth defect, cutting off the nerves from her cranium to her caboose.

Euthanasia was quietly suggested. Her human mom, Mandy Evans, refused to be derailed by any thoughts of putting her precious puppy to sleep. Instead, Mandy pledged to pamper her paraplegic pooch, even going so far as to change her diaper several times a day and incur an avalanche of ongoing veterinary bills.

So, just how does Molly get around on a daily basis? Quite nicely, thanks to her very own set of custom wheels, which Mandy can strap to her backside faster than you can say put the pedal to the metal. And, on any given day, this curly-tailed cutie can be found enchanting school children and the elderly at several venues on the South Coast where Mandy regales eager listeners with tales of what it’s like to love and care for a dog with special needs.

Mandy, a corporate event planner in Santa Barbara, possesses an entrepreneurial spirit and recently launched MySpecialDog.com with her business partner, Kevin Roberson.

Their online magazine is devoted to raising awareness of dogs and other animals who are handicapped in some way, whether it is from paralysis, loss of a limb, or blindness. In addition, she is planning to launch Molly Inspires, a line of greeting cards. Mandy and Molly have already appeared on local television and radio shows and are hoping to garner national exposure in the near future.

This dynamic duo appears to be right on track by focusing on what you can do, rather than what you can’t do.

Karen and her new friends will be conducting a doggy fashion show in the Spring of 2006 as a benefit for MySpecialDog.com and All For Animals, Inc. For more information on how you can help make this a first-class event, send email to: karen at allforanimals dot com.

Karen Lee Stevens is the pet columnist for the Montecito Journal, published biweekly in Montecito, and is the founder and Executive Director of AllforAnimals.com.