明尼苏达州青少年为残疾狗和猫建造免费轮椅

作者：Judy Cole

出处：By Judy Cole - Oct 12, 2021

译者：Acy Liang

一位对残疾动物充满热情的明尼苏达高中生将赋予残疾动物们恢复移动力作为她的使命。两年前，16 岁的谢恩·基伦在学习了一些 YouTube 教程和反复试验之后，开始着手为需要帮助的动物手工制作宠物轮椅。

基伦在业余时间制造的移动设备不仅仅是物质上的舒适，它不仅能改善小动物们的生活，甚至拯救出生以来就不能走路的小动物。

“我喜欢动物，所以我想以某种方式有所作为，” 基伦告诉 FOX-9。她说。“虽然我已经挽救了许多生命，但是我还希望能挽救更多的生命。”

自从基伦发明猫狗轮椅以来，她还为特殊缺陷的狗、猫或是其它宠物提供了她“定制的、手工制作的、低成本的轮椅”，但是基伦只收取了用于制作轮椅的材料的成本价格。

节省下来的钱通常是十分可观的——她的一件作品可以大约节省 300 美元，而来自更传统来源的大型犬的设备则可以节省约 1,000 美元。

迄今为止，这位不知疲倦的青少年已经根据不同残疾动物的特殊需要，组装了近十几个前支撑、全支撑和后支撑模型。并且给不同地区以及不同体型的动物设计了移动设备。

除了狗和猫，她还为刺猬设计了一种独一无二的移动辅助设备。

正如她从一开始就希望的那样，基伦扩大了她的业务范围，包括帮助收容所的宠物。最近她遇到了她的最新客户，西古特，一只截瘫小狗，从沙特阿拉伯通过"动物的避难所”来到美国，该组织为可能无人领养的宠物提供了生存的机会。

与非营利组织合作的丽莎·勒维迪尔说到，在这种难以筹集资金的时期，基伦的努力尤其值得受到赞赏。

基伦决定继续做好这项工作，虽然这可能是个艰难的任务，但她说，她对仍然愿意提供经济帮助以及给予她发明预算的慈善人士十分感激。“许多人都伸出援手并给予我帮助，这简直不可思议，”她告诉 FOX-9。

A Minnesota high schooler with a passion for disabled animals has made giving them mobility her mission. Two years ago, after studying some YouTube tutorials followed by a process of trial and error, 16-year-old Shaine Kilyun embarked on the enterprise of making hand-crafted pet wheelchairs for animals in need.

More than mere creature comfort, the mobility devices Kilyun manufactures in her spare time are changing furry lives for the better, and even saving animals that might otherwise be put down.

“I just love animals, and I wanted to make a difference somehow,” Kilyun told FOX-9. she said. “I’ve saved a few lives, and I really hope to save more.”

Since launching Wheelies Dog and Cat Wheelchairs that offers “custom, handmade, and low-cost wheelchairs for specially-abled dogs, cats & pets,” Kilyun has only charged for the cost of her materials.

The savings are often substantial—$300 for one of her creations, versus $1,000 for similar devices for large-breed dogs from more traditional sources.

To date, the tireless teen has put together close to a dozen front-support, full-support, and back-support models, depending on the animal’s particular needs and has designed mobility devices for everything from a tiny Chihuahua in Ohio to a Great Dane in Oregon.

In addition to dogs and cats, she’s also come up with a one-of-a-kind locomotion aid for a hedgehog. Next on her drawing board? A purpose-built duck-mobile.

As was her hope from the beginning, Kilyun has expanded her outreach to include shelter pets. She met one of her latest clients, Scooter, a paraplegic pup who came to the U.S. from Saudi Arabia via the Home For Life Animal Sanctuary, an organization that offers a chance for life to pets that might be considered unadoptable.

Lisa Leverdiere, who works with the nonprofit, notes that in times like these when it’s difficult to raise money, Kilyun’s efforts are especially appreciated.

Kilyun is determined to keep up the good work, and while times may be hard, she says she’s thrilled by the generous folks who are still willing to contribute financial help to cover her costs. “A lot of people have reached out and donated, which is just incredible,” she told FOX-9.

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/minnesota-teen-builds-free-wheelchairs-for-disabled-dogs-and-cats/