TulsaPets Magazine Nov/Dec 2020

November/December 2020 • TulsaPets 33 W hat started with Che’Lynn Jackson browsing the Animal Aid thrift store online ended with the adoption of Jackson, a 2-year-old American Staffordshire Terrier with three legs and a wheelchair. “Animal Aid has a thrift store that sells things to help [homeless animals]. I thought, ‘Oh cool, a thrift store.’ Then their website came up, and I was just scrolling through all their pets,” Che’Lynn recalled. And that’s when she saw Jackson for the first time. “It was just a close-up picture of his big ol’ smiling face, and it said his name was Jackson. And it was just one of those things,” Che’Lynn explained. “I came home, and I don’t think [my family] took me seriously when I said, ‘Guys, there’s this dog; he has three legs. And I fell in love with him; I’m going to bring him home.’” The next day Che’Lynn and her fiancé Randall Cleek went to Animal Aid to interview with one of the adoption coordinators and meet the dog that had captured Che’Lynn’s heart. “We got to meet him, and we just instantly knew we had to bring him home,” Che’Lynn said. “I didn’t know that he came with the wheelchair. I thought even though he had three legs, he was still just a perfectly walking [dog], you know? So when we went there, and he comes speeding out in his wheelchair, it was just, ‘Oh, wait, hold on.’ And they said he does physical therapy … it was just a lot more than what I had known. But it was so worth it.” Director of Animal Aid Maxine Mackey says it is not uncommon for animals like Jackson to be passed over by potential adopters. “The double dose of a Pit Bull and injured as such can be very challenging. It takes a special person to not be swayed by the ‘Pit Bull stigma’ and recognize that three legs is almost as good as four,” Mackey said. “Most of the time, it’s not the dog bothered by having three legs but rather the person. Unfortunately, some are looking for that perfect dog. ... Really, I say that a three-legged Pit Bull is more than perfect because he knows you gave him a second chance.” Road to Recovery No one is exactly sure what happened to Jackson to cause his injury, but it is thought that he was hit by a car. When he was found, his back had already healed crookedly, and nothing could be done to correct it. He also had lost the use of his hind limbs and had been dragging his back legs behind him, which has left scarring on his remaining hind foot. WRITTEN BY: Lauren Cavagnolo Challenged Yet Able LOOKING PAST PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS TO THE LOVING PET INSIDE Che’Lynn and fiancé Randall Cleek with Jackson Jackson with Morgan Wolf, RVT at Animal Acupuncture