During their hebdomadal visits to a Philadelphia - area rehab hospital , Cyrus , Lucky , and Deuce show what ’s possible .
Domenick Scudera
Domenick Scudera inspect the Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital almost every week . He ’s done so since 2010 , get along one of his three wiener , each of whom is atherapy domestic dog .
Photo:Domenick Scudera
Animal - assist therapy is nothing new , but the infirmary is home to theAmputee Treatment and Rehabilitation Program — and each of Scudera ’s dogs only has two legs . With Scudera ’s supporter , Cyrus , Lucky , and Deuce have lived fun , get it on life , showing what ’s possible to the human being they visit .
" It ’s howling , and it ’s almost always the same , " Scudera assure Daily Paws . " mass will say the same matter . They ’ll say , ' If he can do it , I can do it . ' They say that to me all the time . "
Like some of the patients they confab , Lucky , with only front legs , and Deuce , who only has leg on his ripe side , endured dread fortuity that go to invasive surgeries . ( Cyrus , the trio ’s elder national leader , has only back ramification . ) twelvemonth later , they ’re cater comfort and stirring .
Kathleen Liebsch , an occupational therapist at Bryn Mawr , once witness Deuce visit her patient who ’d lose a leg and an weapon on the same side . He identified with the small brownish wiener who walks unbacked without legs on his left side .
" I ’m wreak towards that , too , " he severalise Liebsch .
" It was somewhat inspiring , " she remembers .
The Trio’s Origin Story
About 12 eld ago , Scudera , a theater professor at Ursinus College outside Philadelphia , owned Festus , a three - legged frankfurter . He was also a therapy dog , chew the fat patients at Bryn Mawr and the Children ’s Hospital of Philadelphia .
As Festus mature , Scudera began look for another wienerwurst . This pup would also be trained as a therapy weenie , and Scudera was searching for one who did n’t have four branch because he knew how much it meant to affected role to see handicapped detent be goodish lifespan .
He go through scruffy Cyrus online after the little terrier mix had been abandoned at an animal protection . Soon , Scudera flew to California to adopt the piffling guy .
Now Scudera is well identify as the foremost two - legged dog dad . Lucky , who ’s around 8 , get along from Egypt . A local namedMarwa Elgebalyfound him on a Cairo street after he was in all probability arrive at by a car . Deuce , about 5 , was found in a Kentucky ditch with his left legs break and infected . ( go - rays revealed shrapnel , so he may have been shoot , though Scudera will never know the true cause of his injuries . )
At rest home , the three dogs are like normal pets , each with their own personalities . honest-to-goodness gentleman Cryus is the Velcro weenie who likes when Scudera bear him like a football game and dislikes when his dad steps outside to answer questions from a Daily Paws editor . ( Sorry . )
Lucky almost never runs out of vim , so much so that one of Scudera ’s friend enjoin having two leg is the least of his problem . He get laid to move around and inquire everything . His ripe bud , Deuce , is tranquil , gentle , and more willing to ride when he ’s told .
He also — imposingly — walks without issue . His gait is so unchanged that people do n’t always notice that he has only two leg , Scudera says .
To him , caring for his trio has n’t been all that unlike than looking after typical four - legged dogs . The main differentiation , in his eye , is how he has to avail Lucky go to the bathroom because he ca n’t finger anything from the waist down . But that ’s just part of the routine now .
" Disabled dogs are difficult to localise , but if you assume one , the reward of ingest a dog that ’s different are so with child , " Scudera say . " You gather so much by having a dog that ’s different . "
Like most dog owners , he get day-after-day dearest and joyousness from his pup . But there ’s a societal aspect , too . They ’re each celebrities on walks , with people stopping to meet them and utter with Scudera .
" It kind of engages me with the world a picayune more , " he order .
‘Full of Happiness’
Then there ’s the important work they do at the hospital . Liebsch , who oversees a separate therapy dog program at Bryn Mawr , say patient really appreciate seeing a dog in the rehabilitation scope . They ’re often there for weeks or months — by from their own animals .
" Dogs are just full of happiness , " she says . " … That might be the high spot of their day . "
Scudera ’s dogs no doubt meet that verbal description . Once , a patient role who ’d lost both his legs merely wrapped his weapon system around one of the dogs ( Scudera ca n’t commend which one ) and sat like that for a long clip , clearly enjoying a sense of reliever while not saying anything .
Cyrus would also go with Scudera to the children ’s hospital , where they visit a nonspeaking child . At one visit , the kiddo had been leave a sing keyboard so he could vocalize his mentation .
" He keyed in something like , ' I love Cyrus , ' " Scudera says .
His dog do n’t just make a difference of opinion with the patient either . He ’s received messages from other inspired the great unwashed who ’ve decide to espouse dogs like his . It warms his heart .
" I detest to think that there ’s blackguard that are in need somewhere and no one wants them . "
