When Janelle Jensen had to care for her first disabled pet in 2015, she never dreamed she would be able to form lasting bonds with them. But she did, and her Chihuahua named Paddy and special needs lamb named Lily were forever grateful. Janelle’s neighbor found Paddy on a busy highway. He was extremely underweight, weighing only 3 pounds. Janelle and her husband David took him in, but they soon discovered there was more to Paddy than just his weight.
Paddy seemed to keep falling. Naturally, the couple suspected that he had been hit by a car. However, an examination at a veterinary hospital revealed otherwise. Paddy’s X-rays revealed disc problems in his neck and deformed joints in his legs.
Thanks to Janelle’s healthy diet and care, Paddy began to get stronger. lamb mourning dog
Shortly after Paddy started to improve, Janelle received a call from the vet asking her to adopt a special needs lamb. Lily was the smallest of a rare set of triplets. She had no place in the uterus, so her legs did not develop. His mother rejected her in support of his other siblings.
Janelle’s vet tried taking care of the lamb so it could avoid being euthanized. But, the lamb required round-the-clock care and constant bottle feeding. It was something the vet couldn’t do, so he called Janelle. She immediately took the lamb in and started taking care of Lily.
Paddy made her feel welcome from the moment she stepped into his home. After all, they shared a similar disability.
“When we adopted Lily, Paddy took her under his wing right away and became her official face washer after each and every bottle of lamb’s milk, which at first was every hour,” Janelle said. “He snuggled with her to keep her company. She was HIS baby lamb. Lily would also walk over to Paddy and snuggle up to him…they loved each other…they were VERY close.”
Four months later, Lilly grew up, but her legs didn’t catch up with her development. She had to use a specially fitted pink wheelchair to move around. When she became too heavy to be picked up, they made her a lift.
Despite round-the-clock care, Lilly lost control of her legs at the age of 15 months. She couldn’t stand up for a diaper change or pull herself in her wheelchair anymore. Lily became bedridden.
Janelle couldn’t watch her suffer anymore, so she made the final decision – to have Lilly humanely euthanized.
The Jensens weren’t the only ones suffering from the loss. Paddy was suffering too. His best friend was gone. Paddy missed his friend so much, Janelle’s aunt Carrol made him a plush stuffed Lilly to snuggle with.
The moment Paddy saw the lamb toy in the box, he grabbed her and took her to his “man cave,” as they call his crate.
Paddy isn’t lonely. He also has two canine brothers Whiffers and Scruffy, and a box full of toys. But, Lilly is a special toy that never leaves Paddy’s crate. If he starts missing Lilly, Paddy knows where to find comfort.
Janelle and David Jensen currently have 14 horses – 4 Standards, 5 Minis, and 5 Dwarf Minis – a dwarf Hereford cow, 2 goats, 2 alpacas, a sheep, 4 bantam hens, and 3 dogs. A lot of their animals have special needs.
Even though Lilly had only 15 months of life, Janelle ensured each day was a good one for her. She made Lilly feel loved. And that’s only a drop in the ocean of good deeds in Janelle’s life.
Janelle also makes corrective horseshoes for equines with leg problems. Little Bit’s Magic Shoes was named in honor of one mini horse Janelle took care of.
While her business is now closed, it serves as proof of just how big of a heart this woman has.
