The Pearl River County SPCA has been caring for 1-year-old Maisy after she was brought in by a Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department deputy.
Maisy lost most of the feeling in her back legs, yet has spent the last few weeks at the shelter happily crawling around.
On Wednesday, Maisy received her very own customized wheelchair, complete with a lambskin harness.
Frequent shelter volunteers Mark and Roxanne Watson designed and built Maisy’s wheelchair from aluminum pipes.
“Welding aluminum tubes is not for beginners, and I’m a massive beginner,” Mark Watson said.
He said has years of experience welding steel and other metals, but aluminum was a new, and difficult, material.
Mark Watson said he will continue to make adjustments to Maisy’s wheelchair so that it is fully functional, and comfortable.
The harness was donated by Lisa Donez from a local upholstery shop, Roxanne Watson said.
Once Maisy was strapped into her new apparatus, she took off to explore. After a moment’s hesitation, she quickly got the hang of it.
Maria Diamond, PRCSPCA public relations specialist, said she had been calling Maisy’s owner to claim the dog, who was out of town when she was brought in.
Diamond said the owner planned to pick her up at least two weeks ago, but Maisy has since been legally turned over to the shelter.
Amy Koury, a volunteer at the shelter, has been fostering Maisy and said she is always happy to see new people.
The shelter is still looking for the perfect family to adopt Maisy and give her a loving home.
Maisy gets along well with other dogs and loves people, Koury said, so she doesn’t see why she wouldn’t also like children.
Anyone interested in adopting Maisy can contact the shelter at 601-798-8000.