Buddha, a gentle, 10-year-old pitbull, has faced many challenges. He lost the use of his back legs and learned to use a pet wheelchair. Buddha says goodbye to his temporary home at the Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center this week to move to a rescue sanctuary to await a new, permanent home.

A Santa Paula Police Department officer found the dog lying by the side of the road, unable to use his back legs. The officer brought him to the Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center (SPARC), where the staff rushed him to a pet emergency hospital. The dog was diagnosed with degenerative myelopathy/neuropathy, meaning he lacks the strength to use his back legs and his condition may worsen with time. It appears the dog, named Buddha, had either been dumped or had dragged himself to the road, scraping his leg raw in the process.

Buddha recovered from his scrapes and bruises but needed help with mobility. In January, SPARC received the gift of a donated wheeled cart from Eddie’s Wheels, a company in Massachusetts which custom-makes wheels for dogs. The carts cost up to $600. SPARC is very grateful for the donation.

With encouragement and lots of treats from the SPARC staff, Buddha has learned to use his new wheels. After a few days with his new wheels, Buddha now enjoys getting out for a “spin” several times a day and is becoming more confident. When he becomes more proficient using his cart, he’ll be able to enjoy spending time with other dogs again.

Buddha is a gentle old soul who has been greeting and socializing with SPARC visitors for months as their “office dog.” He's been looking for a home all the while, but this week will be his “farewell” to SPARC as he will be leaving for greener pastures, moving to a rescue sanctuary that provides medical supervision and will care for him in a loving environment until he finds the perfect, forever home.

Donations to help with Buddha’s and other SPARC animals’ medical care can be made at www.santapaulaarc.org. SPARC is a private, non-profit organization and is the first and only no-kill animal shelter in Ventura County. SPARC is a place where homeless animals are brought for humane care without risk of being killed due to lack of space, illness or injury. SPARC relies on private donations to care for the animals.