8 hours ago
‘She is full of life': B.C. dog shares adventures and compassion after losing both eyes
When Chris Strickland first met Stevie the dog at a BBQ fundraiser for an animal rescue group, he could see that she couldn't.
ABBOTSFORD, B.C. — When Chris Strickland first met Stevie the dog at a BBQ fundraiser for an animal rescue group, he could see that she couldn't.
'The initial reaction is always, 'Oh. That's sad.'' Chris says he felt the same way that other people do when they first notice him walking Stevie. 'They always feel so bad.'
Stevie had been dropped off at the rescue because her eyes weren't working. So, Chris and his fiancée Jenn decided to foster the puppy until she could find a forever home.
'She was super sweet. Very affectionate,' Chris says. 'Just wanted to be loved.'
It turns out Stevie was suffering from a disease that made her blind since birth, caused pain ever since, and could only be remedied by removing both eyes.
'It was a long process obviously, to go through that,' Chris says.
So, Chris and Jenn committed to care for Stevie during her months-long recovery from surgery, while the rescue group worked to re-home her.
'But we grew way too attached,' Chris laughs.
The couple's other dogs had fallen in love with Stevie too, so they decided to adopt the blind puppy, and offer her a dynamic life.
'We wanted her to explore and discover,' Chris says. He and Jenn encouraged Stevie to be like any other dog. 'We didn't want to hold her back.'
Not that they could have held her back if they'd tried.
'All of our other (dogs) were middle-aged,' Chris laughs. 'And all of a sudden we had a young puppy!'
Stevie proved to be a can-do kind of canine, and the couple began sharing her adventures on social media, showing how the dog confidently figured out how to do all sorts of active things on her own, from charting her own path on hikes, to becoming a passionate paddle-boarder.
'She is full of life,' Chris smiles.
And so full of compassion that Stevie also volunteers as a therapy dog for people working in hospitals and businesses.
'She cuddles them like she's cuddling me right now,' Chris says patting, the pup who's curled up on his lap. 'You kind of see the tension and the stress just melt away.'
And after Chris inevitably shares Stevie's story with them, they're left unquestionably inspired. Just like he and Jenn were.
'(Stevie) taught us not to have disability define you,' Chris says. 'That you can overcome adversity.'
And that — even if you lose your sight — you can still gain the vision live your life to the fullest.
