PHOENIX – A beloved disabled dog named Chance, known for his love of lakeside outings, had his custom wheelchair stolen last week from a popular Valley lake, leaving his owner distraught. However, the community rallied to replace the essential mobility aid.
Chance’s owner, Denny Box, who rescues doodles, was told the dog would never walk again after suffering spinal trauma and a dislocated hip that cannot be reset. Despite his condition, Chance requires a wheelchair to get around and enjoys an active life, including trips to Butcher Jones Beach.
“I can’t go anywhere unless I take a Chance,” said Box. “He has to go with me.”
The backstory:
After a day at Butcher Jones Beach last Saturday, Box realized he had forgotten Chance’s wheelchair. When his daughter returned to retrieve it, the wheelchair was gone.
“What was really just a thought in my mind.. if I was out the lake and I came across a wheelchair with a harness lying there, why would you take it?” Box wondered.
What they’re saying:
A replacement wheelchair costs more than $500, and without it, Chance was unable to move. Box posted on social media, asking if anyone had seen it or had a spare. He was “overwhelmed” by the response.
“I couldn’t even keep up with them,” Box said of the more than 100 comments on his post, many from people offering to buy Chance a new wheelchair.
Before this news story could even be completed, Chance was gifted a new set of wheels by a woman with Second Chance Dog Rescue.
“It was a nice, nice surprise,” Box said. “It’s tough these days, the way people treat each other. The disabled dog community.. they all love and support each other 100%.”
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