It's a Whole New World for Aladdin After the American Humane Hero Dog Awards!
Last year, Aladdin was a contender for the American Humane Hero Dog Awards. Sponsored by Chicken Soup for the Soul Pet Food, Aladdin inspired millions with his story of resilience and perseverance--overcoming abuse and neglect to become a rock star therapy dog.
Though he didn’t win at the Hero Dog Awards, Aladdin’s mom, Michele, says that something even better came out of the experience: Dr. Brian Beale.
Dr. Beale is a veterinarian on National Geographic’s Animal ER. He met Michele at the hotel and then saw Aladdin’s video at the awards.
“He came up to me afterwards, and he said, ‘I’m fixing his legs,’ ” Michelle says. “He wanted to make sure Aladdin would be able to work pain-free. He’s fixed his legs for free. He’s been nothing short of amazing.”
Aladdin had the first of two surgeries this year on February 12. Michele reports that recovery is going well. “He is doing amazing! He has exceeded their expectations for his recovery. They told me he’d be up and around in 10 days, and he was up and around in three. He started his physical therapy two weeks after that and he has been doing amazing. Right now he’s still doing water therapy, home exercises, laser treatments, and acupuncture.”
Michele says that when the dynamic duo travels for Aladdin’s advocacy work, she normally pulls him through the airport in a wagon. Recently, though, they were headed to Palm Beach for a Hero Dog lunch, and Aladdin walked the entire way through the airport — a feat he’s never accomplished before!
Post-op, he’s back to work already: serving the children at Ronald McDonald House, hosting events, visiting schools, and traveling the country. “I’m his staff,” Michele jokes.
More than that, though, Michele is one proud mama of a pretty incredible dog. “His little spirit is amazing. If you think about everything he went through — abused by a person, he’s missing 12 teeth, he has broken bones, he was starved — but yet he loves people. From the moment I got him at the shelter, his little tail has literally never stopped wagging. You would think he’d be afraid of people or have some hesitation toward people, but not him. There’s no stopping him. He just goes.”
It’s dogs like Aladdin that make Chicken Soup for the Soul Pet Food proud to be the Official Dog Food Sponsor of the American Humane Hero Dog Awards! And we are sponsoring it again this year, so be sure to meet the 2018 Hero Dog semifinalists on May 16!
