Finding Peanut
Almost nine years ago, MJ Nejad learned about a puppy in Tehran, Iran, with paralyzed hind legs, a dog rescue group having found her and her mother beside a highway. She was just a month old at the time and likely faced a short, unhappy life.
MJ, the owner of MJ's Pet Spaw & Boutique in Mission Viejo, knew he had to act and arranged for her to be brought to the United States.
Today, that dog, now named Peanut, remains his constant companion and daily inspiration.
Peanut Goes Mobile
When MJ saw that first video of the puppy on Instagram, it was love at first sight. He had relatives bring the dog to the U.S., hoping to find a vet who could repair her legs. After learning the paralysis was permanent, MJ determined to give her as normal a life as possible.
The first step was providing Peanut with unlimited TLC. Next came a doggie wheelchair from K9 Carts. Peanut took to it immediately. Soon, Peanut was hiking mountain trails and visiting the beach and dog park, growing more mobile and more confident with every outing.
At first, not all dogs knew what to make of the wheelchair-bound Peanut. But once they got to know her, MJ said, it was game on. More often than not, the new pals were racing around the park together.
An Enduring Love Story
When Peanut is at home with MJ's other dogs, she doesn't use her wheelchair. At 85 pounds, strapping her in and out of the chair is no easy feat, said MJ, so it's used primarily for going on walks.
Over the years, age-related health issues and complications from her paralysis have slowed Peanut down. She's put on weight (but really, who hasn't?), and chronic urinary tract infections have proved especially challenging.
MJ says caring for a dog with disabilities means adapting your lifestyle to meet the dog's needs. But he wouldn't have it any other way. In addition to Peanut, MJ has a deaf Pit Bull with hip dysplasia and two torn ACLs, along with a diabetic, blind Yorkie.
About Peanut, he said: “I’m lucky to have her. She’s amazing.”
Like most senior dogs, Peanut has her good days and bad days. Nine years after MJ first saw her on Instagram, she continues to prove that a disability doesn't define a life—or a bond.
