9Heidi Adopted Wallis Despite His Partial Paralysis
When Heidi Knight visited the Best Friends NKLA Pet Adoption Center in Los Angeles, she originally had two small senior dogs in mind.
Neither of them connected with her.
Then she met Wallis.
Wallis had been surrendered to a municipal shelter and was partially paralyzed because of neurological damage. He walked with his hind legs spread apart for balance and required physical therapy to help him move more comfortably.
Yet when Heidi met him, Wallis immediately walked toward her.
That was enough.
Heidi adopted him, even though she had never previously owned a dog. She quickly learned how to accommodate his needs, including placing nonslip runners over the hardwood floors so he could reach his favorite places—the couch and the bed.
She also continued taking him for walks and noticed his strength improving.
Wallis eventually became a regular visitor at Heidi’s workplace and developed his own little fan club. For Heidi, adopting a dog with special needs turned out to be one of the most meaningful experiences of her life.
