After losing both her legs while serving overseas, retired Army Sgt. Christy Gardner got Moxie as a seizure alert and response service dog. Aside from the dog’s regular duties, she also lends her assistance in daily tasks such as getting around, switching lights on and off, and opening and closing doors with disabled access buttons.
According to Gardner, Moxie is not only her battle buddy but also her best friend. But the dog proved to be more than that during her darkest hours. There was a time when Gardner almost took her own life because she was fed up with her physical disability. However, she could not bear the thought of abandoning the dog.
After considering how it may negatively affect Moxie, Gardner decided against acting on her impulse. She felt that she would be betraying her dog’s trust, and her loss could drive the pup into depression because it was her duty to care for her.
Because Gardner could not pay Moxie back for saving her life, she chose to pay it forward through a puppy named Lucky Tim. Due to several missing bones, one of the puppy’s front legs could not form properly and had to be amputated. Gardner wanted to help Lucky Tim as Moxie had helped her.
Gardner thought Lucky Tim had a great potential to become a therapy dog. So she went to his breeder to ask if she could take him home and train him. Fortunately, the breeder said yes.
Before adopting Lucky Tim, Gardner was already aware that he required surgery and was prepared to cover the bills. Fortunately, VetriScience, a dog supplement company, heard about his story and donated $10,000.
Lucky Tim is now in good health and doing well. In his way, he will also be able to pay it forward by becoming a full-fledged therapy dog.
Credit: This Dog’s Life