A disabled hospice dog in St. Cloud will soon be moving again after the theft of her specialized wheelchair sparked an outpouring of support.
Baby cannot walk on her own and depends on a four-wheel wheelchair to move around, interact with other dogs and relieve herself without assistance.
Sarah Schmidt, founder and president of the Pittie Party of Central Florida, said she went outside Aug. 19 to put Baby in the wheelchair and discovered it was missing from her porch.
“She can’t go to the bathroom by herself. She can’t move around. She can’t interact with the other dogs,” Schmidt said. “She’s just a sitting duck without it.”
Schmidt initially posted about the missing bright pink wheelchair in neighborhood groups. St. Cloud police later contacted her, took a report and shared Baby’s story on the department’s Facebook page.
Police said Wednesday that the original wheelchair remains missing and investigators are hoping someone comes forward with information.
“I was in shock at first, and then I was very frustrated,” Schmidt said. “It’s like, who would mess with our dogs?”
The story quickly spread beyond St. Cloud, bringing calls, donations and offers to purchase a replacement.
RUCK9, a Florida nonprofit that provides mobility equipment to disabled animals, offered to send Baby a new wheelchair from the same manufacturer.
“We’re offering people their donations back, but everyone’s saying, ‘Just keep them for her continued care,’” Schmidt said.
She said the remaining donations will help cover Baby’s medications, neurological appointments and the rescue’s work caring for other special-needs and hospice dogs.
Schmidt has now placed a large sign in her yard asking for the original wheelchair’s return. She said having both chairs would allow Baby to keep one in the front yard and another in the back, saving Schmidt from having to carry the equipment around the house.
“We’re very understanding,” Schmidt said. “If you did take the chair, just bring it back on the lawn or driveway.”
Anyone with information about the missing wheelchair is asked to contact the St. Cloud Police Department at 407-891-6700.