“Her name is Maggie, but her nickname is Mag Pie. She is a wheely dog and was paralyzed when I adopted her.

We have been walking in the Mystic Mutts parade in Fairhope for several years. Our first costume was Meals on Wheels. Another year we were parasailers—Maggie was the boat pulling me.

We are from Newnan, Georgia, and we participate in parades and wiener dog races to get out her message about accepting differences and adopting animals, not shopping for them. We met a little girl in a pink wheelchair in Fairhope. I hope she saw that if Maggie can enjoy life, she can too.

I enjoy the children coming up to meet Maggie because they look closely and ask questions. Maybe they take a little bit of her story with them, and when they see a child in a wheelchair, they won’t think it’s weird or unusual—just different.

Some of the adults tell me that I should have put Maggie down, but she has a better life than most. Maggie has her own Facebook page: ‘Maggie on the Move.’

We are doing the 52-hike challenge and hiking at least once a week for a year. Maggie and I are still trying to hit all of the state parks in Georgia. If this fat Mama and her cripple dog can get out there, anyone can.

Rescue has always been important to me. My first special needs dog was in foster care for three years, and no one wanted him. I was fascinated by his wheelchair, and he became my heart dog and the start of my little mission. After he died, I wanted to keep it going and adopted another wheely dog.

Maggie is my reason for getting up in the morning. I never married and never had kids, so I pour everything into her. I have adventures and meet many good people because I am Maggie’s mama.”

Angela

(Parade photo courtesy of Maggie on the Move Facebook page)