Stray Dog Used a DIY PVC Chair—Then a Stranger Saw His Story and Changed His Life

A while ago, here at Amo Meu Pet (our Brazilian website about pet news), we shared the inspiring story of a dog named Pelézinho.

Due to the repercussions of the article, which was also published in a famous Brazilian news portal, the dog received great news!

The owner of Olivia, a paraplegic Golden Retriever, was moved when she watched the video and decided to donate a personalized chair to the little dog.

Today, Pelézinho no longer uses his PVC chair (which helped him a lot); now he has a custom-made and very stylish chair.

Pelézinho’s Story

In an interview with Amo Meu Pet, the mutt’s owners, who live in São Paulo, Brazil, said the dog suddenly appeared on their street and started sleeping in a neighbor’s unfenced yard, which was not fenced.

A few months passed, and this neighbor surrounded the house. Pelé no longer had anywhere to shelter, so he began to live entirely on the streets.

It was then that the couple spotted their beloved pet one cold, rainy night, lying in the gutter.

They took him in without hesitation.

“The next morning, when I went to work and opened the gate, he ran out into the street. But there was one detail: when he ran out into the street, he took a toy from Sofia, another dog I have. So we thought: ‘Oh, he’s not going to come back, I think he was just waiting for the gate to open so he could go’”, recalled Clodoaldo, the pet’s owner.

But Pelézinho didn’t leave, no! After 10 minutes, who came back? Him, and with him he brought Sofia’s toy.

“That scene was magnificent. We looked at each other and asked ourselves right then and there: ‘Shall we adopt?’ And here Pelézinho is to this day, being loved, adored and respected.”

The Paralysis

In December 2021, a distemper outbreak hit the couple’s street, and Pelézinho was one of the dogs affected.

His owners rushed him to a veterinary clinic, spending all they had—only to be let down when the staff abandoned his care.

“The vet at that clinic told us, ‘Unfortunately, there are cases where the diagnosis never comes,’” she explained. “I quickly picked up Pelézinho, took him from the clinic, and said, ‘I WILL NOT GIVE UP ON YOU, MY SON,’” she said.“Finally, we found a vet who was like an angel, Dr. Nicole, who took care of him.”

Dr. Nicole recommended ozone therapy and acupuncture. At that point, Pelézinho was completely paralyzed, and his body was covered in wounds from the medications and injections given at the previous clinic.

“So, after a lot of acupuncture and physiotherapy that Dr. Priscila Pinotti (the doctor who administered the treatment) gave us to do at home, he started to recover his movements.”

The PVC Chair

As Pelézinho improved, Dr. Priscila lent him a wheelchair and recommended others with pedals they could buy—but they were too expensive.

“So Rose and José, who own Meg (another dog with distemper), adapted her chair to include a pedal,” she said. “José also adapted the one lent by Dr. Priscila. And thanks to that little chair, I learned how to make a pedal-operated PVC cart—and I’ve helped other dogs in need.”

Repercussion

The article we wrote about Pelézinho—featuring the TikTok video Clodoaldo posted showing his recovery—went viral online!

Through the post made by the news company, Olivia’s owner found out about Pelézinho and went out of her way to contact the family and donate a custom-made wheelchair.

“I posted this without knowing the impact it would cause. I was very happy with the kind words and encouraging comments [...]. It’s not for us, but for Pelézinho, because every animal deserves a new chance, a new beginning. It’s hard work, yes, but if you do it with love, all of this can be overcome, and God will reward you for everything you did for your animal, which many people would put down without thinking about a new beginning,” he concluded.

Check out the video that caused a stir below.

Now look at Pelézinho with his new chair.

Without a doubt, Pelézinho is very loved by his family!

To follow Pelézinho on social media, click here.

To follow Olívia, click here.