JANESVILLE, Wis (WMTV) -- A Janesville pup is strutting his stuff and he’s hoping to get your vote. Rex is a one-and-a-half year old lab mix. About a year ago, he came to Wisconsin from a high-kill shelter in Texas.
“He’s a pretty special dog,” said Rex’s owner JoLynn Burden of Janesville. “He has a disability with his front limbs, but it really doesn’t slow him down.”
Rex was born with severely underdeveloped front legs. “His mother, himself, and his brother were dropped off at the Harris County Shelter when he was just a few weeks old,” said Burden. “Our assumption is mama had a disabled baby and the folks decided that mom was damaged goods and decided to drop all three of them off at the shelter.”
Burden agreed to foster Rex, but immediately fell in love. “I think I looked into his eyes and thought you know what he’s got such a wonderful soul,” she said. “I think the day he arrived our family knew shortly after that that he was home, he wasn’t leaving,”
On a whim, Burden entered Rex into People Magazine’s “World’s Cutest Rescue Dog” competition. More than 10,000 submissions came pouring in and Rex was named in the top ten.
“(I was) completely surprised, but I was also thinking I know how awesome of a dog he is that who wouldn’t pick him,” Burden said with a laugh.
To get around, Rex scoots by using his back legs to push him along. Sometimes he just hops. “He’s got really strong back legs, he’s got really strong hips and thighs.”
But now, he’s got a cart to help him move a little smoother. The cart came courtesy of Gunnar’s Wheels, a non-profit organization based out of Wisconsin. They help fit disabled animals with their own set of wheels.
“He doesn’t know he has a disability. He thinks he is one of the dogs who rough houses and plays and instigates kind of the backyard play.”
After being cast aside soon after he was born, today, Rex is living his best life.
“He’s very appreciative of the life he has and having a family and having kind of a second chance at life.”
To vote for Rex, CLICK HERE. Voting ends on August 31st.
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