Wheely Willy
Encyclopedia
Wheely Willy was a paraplegic
chihuahua
from Long Beach, California
who became a celebrity
as the subject of two bestselling children's book
s. He made frequent public appearances promoting mutual understanding among those with and without physical disability
. Following appearances on the Animal Planet
television network
, he was popularly dubbed Wheely Willy.
Willy was found abandoned in a cardboard box with spinal injuries and a cut throat. Taken in by a veterinary
hospital
and treated, Willy stayed there for a year unadopted. Learning that the dog would be euthanised
if not adopted, pet groomer Deborah Turner decided to bring him home.
Initially, the two pound
(one kilogram
) Willy needed to be carried everywhere, but Turner made several attempts to allow the dog to move autonomously. She tried attaching large helium
-filled balloon
s to the dog's hindquarters and then placing him on a skateboard
, with little success. Ultimately, an advertisement for K-9 Carts, a type of wheelchair
designed for canine applications, came to her attention. Willy adapted to this mode of transportation in short order; curiosity from Turner's customers and acquaintances led to local news coverage and steadily increased to international notability.
Willy made visits internationally, most often to hospitals, but he also participated in such events as the Cystic Fibrosis
Fun Walk and the Los Angeles Marathon
. He made several appearances on television talk shows and news
programs.
The dog's tenacity and good nature are frequently cited as an inspiration by people who have encountered him.
Wheely Willy died on December 22, 2009. He and his owner had both sustained injuries when the owner slipped on a porch made wet and slick from a rainstorm. Willy was unable to recover from his injuries.
Paraplegia
Paraplegia is an impairment in motor or sensory function of the lower extremities. The word comes from Ionic Greek: παραπληγίη "half-striking". It is usually the result of spinal cord injury or a congenital condition such as spina bifida that affects the neural elements of the spinal canal...
chihuahua
Chihuahua (dog)
The ' is the smallest breed of dog and is so named for the state of Chihuahua in Mexico. Chihuahuas come in a wide variety of sizes, head shapes, colors and coat lengths.-History:...
from Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
who became a celebrity
Celebrity
A celebrity, also referred to as a celeb in popular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media...
as the subject of two bestselling children's book
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
s. He made frequent public appearances promoting mutual understanding among those with and without physical disability
Disability
A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...
. Following appearances on the Animal Planet
Animal Planet
Animal Planet is an American cable tv specialty channel that launched on October 1, 1996. It is distributed by Discovery Communications. A high-definition simulcast of the channel launched on September 1, 2007.-History:...
television network
Television network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
, he was popularly dubbed Wheely Willy.
Background
Veterinarian
A veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....
hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
and treated, Willy stayed there for a year unadopted. Learning that the dog would be euthanised
Euthanasia
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
if not adopted, pet groomer Deborah Turner decided to bring him home.
Initially, the two pound
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
(one kilogram
Kilogram
The kilogram or kilogramme , also known as the kilo, is the base unit of mass in the International System of Units and is defined as being equal to the mass of the International Prototype Kilogram , which is almost exactly equal to the mass of one liter of water...
) Willy needed to be carried everywhere, but Turner made several attempts to allow the dog to move autonomously. She tried attaching large helium
Helium
Helium is the chemical element with atomic number 2 and an atomic weight of 4.002602, which is represented by the symbol He. It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, inert, monatomic gas that heads the noble gas group in the periodic table...
-filled balloon
Balloon
A balloon is an inflatable flexible bag filled with a gas, such as helium, hydrogen, nitrous oxide, oxygen, or air. Modern balloons can be made from materials such as rubber, latex, polychloroprene, or a nylon fabric, while some early balloons were made of dried animal bladders, such as the pig...
s to the dog's hindquarters and then placing him on a skateboard
Skateboard
A skateboard is typically a specially designed plywood board combined with a polyurethane coating used for making smoother slides and stronger durability, used primarily for the activity of skateboarding. The first skateboards to reach public notice came out of the surfing craze of the early 1960s,...
, with little success. Ultimately, an advertisement for K-9 Carts, a type of wheelchair
Wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
designed for canine applications, came to her attention. Willy adapted to this mode of transportation in short order; curiosity from Turner's customers and acquaintances led to local news coverage and steadily increased to international notability.
Willy made visits internationally, most often to hospitals, but he also participated in such events as the Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is a recessive genetic disease affecting most critically the lungs, and also the pancreas, liver, and intestine...
Fun Walk and the Los Angeles Marathon
Los Angeles Marathon
The Honda LA Marathon is an annual running event held each spring in Los Angeles, California. The 26.219 mile footrace, inspired by the success of the 1984 Summer Olympic Games, has been contested every year since 1986...
. He made several appearances on television talk shows and news
News
News is the communication of selected information on current events which is presented by print, broadcast, Internet, or word of mouth to a third party or mass audience.- Etymology :...
programs.
The dog's tenacity and good nature are frequently cited as an inspiration by people who have encountered him.
Wheely Willy died on December 22, 2009. He and his owner had both sustained injuries when the owner slipped on a porch made wet and slick from a rainstorm. Willy was unable to recover from his injuries.
External links
- Wheely Willy and Friends official web site
- Creature Feature: Wheely Willy article about Willy and his television appearances
- US chihuahua wows Japanese crowds BBC News article about Willy's visit to Japan