Sun – A SEVEN-year-old boy with a fear of open spaces has finally started venturing outside, thanks to a three-legged dog. Shy Owen Howkins was too afraid to leave his house until his family adopted Haatchi, an Anatolian Shepherd, and the pair became inseparable. Owen had become withdrawn from social situations when he realised a rare genetic disorder made him different to other boys and girls at school. The condition, known as Schwartz-Jampel, causes his muscles to be permanently tense. When his family adopted Haatchi from the RSPCA, they were thrilled with the positive effect he had on Owen’s confidence. As well as leaving the house to take his dog for walkies, Owen is now happy to talk to strangers — telling them all about his energetic pet. And he now feels differently about his condition after seeing Haatchi take his “medicine” — a mix of manuka honey, salmon oil and supplements.

Like Owen, Haatchi had a difficult start in life, suffering horrific injuries when he was tied to a railway line and hit by a train around ten months ago. He was found days later, cowering, with a mangled tail and back leg. By the time he was taken to a vet’s surgery, his leg and tail had to be amputated. But he was eventually adopted by dad Owen’s Will and fiancée Colleen Drummond, 41, who read about the animal’s plight on Facebook. Colleen said: “As soon as they met, the effect Haatchi had on Owen was incredible.

15-month-old Haatchi has recently completed his training as a Pets as Therapy dog and will soon begin visiting soldier amputees injured in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as sick and terminally-ill children. Haatchi’s amazing survival and the positive impact he has had on Owen’s life has resulted in him winning an award from the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

No big deal. Just a dog that was hit by a train and had to have his leg and tail amputated going about his business changing a sick kid’s life, completing his training as a Pets as Therapy dog, visiting injured war veterans and terminally ill children in the hospital and winning awards. Standard practice for dogs really. Like Haatchi could give a fuck that he’s missing his leg. Bro I got three more, I didn’t need that one anyway. But enough about me, I need to get down to business and spread happiness throughout the world real quick. Let me just go ahead and cure Owen of all his anxiety. Boom done. Alright let me just go put smiles on the faces of amputees and kids with cancer. Boom done. Oh I got an award from the International Fund for Animal Welfare? I guess I can squeeze that in between helping paralyzed people walk again and foiling a bank robbery. Nobody in the game doing it bigger than Haatchi these days.

PS – My mom sent me a picture of my dogs this weekend and I looked at it for 6 hours straight.

 

(Editor’s Note – How about the balls on Jmac stealing this story from me huh?)