Finn is a 13-year-old black, tan and white border collie mix who has been backpacking with his owner since he was a pup.
However, a freak accident left him paralyzed in his hind legs but his owners decided to give him a doggy wheelchair so that Finn can keep doing what he loves which is traveling.
Watch the video of the inspirational dog who still enjoys trips with his owners.
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Video credit: Rumble
Owner Bryce LaDuc, 40, said that Finn was rescued as a pup and has been with her through 30 states, trekking through mountains, trails, and national parks. But in January, he was with owners Bryce and Paul Staalsen, 38, in the camper-van when he just leaped out the back door of the van as it was stationary.
The bad landing caused Finn severe spinal trauma that left his hind legs paralyzed. However, unable to bear that Finn wasn’t able to trek anymore, after six months his owners shelled out $600 to buy the pooch an all-terrain doggy wheelchair.
Bryce, who calls herself a ‘weekend warrior,’ said: “Finn spent 12 years of his life hiking, running beaches, backpacking and traveling in the US in our camper-van.
“There is not a day that goes by that I don’t wish I could go back to that morning and change the course of that day, but instead of dwelling on regret, we decided to make sure he lives out his life as healthy and happy as possible.
“Could it have been prevented? As with most accidents of course and there is a huge measure of regret and ‘what if’, but I also want him to enjoy his life and do the things he loves.
“He is the most important thing to me in life so I feel a huge amount of guilt, but sadly it happened and it can’t be taken back.
“Luckily, I don’t think Finn realizes he is different from other dogs.
“One of the most wonderful lessons a dog can teach you is the art of resilience.
“Finn doesn’t hold any grudges about how he is and he wakes up each day and tries his hardest to make even more progress.
“He lives by the quote ‘the only disability in life is a bad attitude’.
“He is still a puppy at heart and he has had a blast playing with his friends and bombing around the beach again – even if it is in a wheelchair.
“He has even earned the nickname FINNspirational.”
Bryce and Paul got the camper van just so they could bring their pets with them. Aside from Finn, they also have a two-year-old rescued border collie named Arlo.
Since they love the outdoors so much, they didn’t want Finn to lose out on that experience when he became disabled.
Following the accident, Finn underwent physical therapy that involved an underwater treadmill, electro-acupuncture, and cold laser treatments. He slowly regained the use of his hind legs.
The wheelchair they got for Finn is heavy duty and can go off-road. It’s custom-made of aluminum and tailored to his body shape. Incredibly enough, despite the wheelchair, Finn can give Arlo a run for his money when they play together.
Bryce said: “After the accident, the most difficult thing about Finn’s immobility was seeing him have his independence taken away.
“Losing his mobility didn’t just affect him physically, but it also affected him mentally. He didn’t have the ability to do his job and we could tell that was starting to get depressing for him.
“Seeing him use his wheelchair and be able to do the things he loves doing is priceless. It has truly given him a new life.
“Everyone has loved seeing the way he has bounced back since having his chair.
“He gets a lot of attention on social media – people love him and call him a superhero.
“He shows how resilient dogs can be – regardless of their circumstances they always make the most of every situation and live life in the moment – without resentment or self-pity.
“People are always really interested in learning what happened to him – and while we all wish we could keep our dogs in bubble suits, sometimes accidents happen and Finn is living proof that life goes on and that being “different” doesn’t always have to be a bad thing.
“He has been such a fighter and watching him, at his age, make the progress he has, you can tell he loves life – he is my best friend and my biggest inspiration. It is humbling to see how far he has come. ”
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