These dogs with disabilities are being trained to be therapy animals


A special bond is developing between the dogs at Dharma Rescue in Southern California and local kids and adults with disabilities.
Most of the dogs are partially paralyzed after sustaining injuries or enduring abuse by their previous owners, and have received special customized wheelchairs that allow them to move quickly outside. They are being trained as therapy dogs, and spend time at hospitals, schools, and the Advantage Day Program in Torrance. There, the therapy dogs snuggle with special needs adults and go on walks. "They're giving them kisses, they want to be pet, they want to be loved," Cherisse Anel, activities director, told ABC 7. "To them, there is no disability."
The dogs at Dharma Rescue are available for adoption, and their personalities make them hard to resist. "They are not upset about being paralyzed," Dharma Rescue's Susan Fulcher told ABC 7. "They can walk into a room and just own it." Catherine Garcia
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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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