Little Willa's Path to Independence

Hi! I run a small fiber hobby farm with sheep, alpacas, and chickens. Little Willa was born on April 27th this year and had a bit of a rough start. She wasn’t standing or walking on her own, so after some assistance with physical therapy exercises and patient shepherding, along with an incredible mama ewe by her side, she learned to nurse and scoot around.

She wasn’t progressing after a month, so I found a wheelchair from Walkin' Pets, which helped her gain so much independence and freedom. I cried when she immediately started running alongside her mama when I put her in it for the first time. Pretty soon, she was chasing chickens and thriving in her chair.

My hope was that the chair would help build her strength so she could get walking solo, but we are still at the same place. I’ve been working with the University of Tennessee Large Animal Hospital, and in order to figure out what’s going on with little Willa, we will need an MRI of her brain and her lumbar spine. She also has almost outgrown her wheelchair and will need another one soon.

Willa has truly been thriving despite her limitations. I hope that getting these tests will help understand how best to help her live a long and happy life.