Three-time champion agility dog Zip didn’t have the best start in life, but when she fell into handler Sue Cohen capable hands, everything changed for this very special border collie.
Go Zip go!
Zip’s first family had no idea what to do with all the intelligence and energy of a border collie pup, but when she landed with Sue as a foster mom at age two, the agility buff wasted no time in teaching Zip the ropes. One look at Zip’s champion bloodlines told Sue that Zip had everything she needed to not only compete, but excel in the sport . Once her energy had some direction.
Fast forward a few years and Zip has a string of titles and a fantastic life– until a hit-and-run accident put her in a wheelchair for the rest of her life. After recovering from surgery for a dislocated spine and pelvic fractures, Sue thought the champion was retired for good. But when Sue brought Zip along while training one of her other dogs, she could see the light in Zip’s eyes the moment the dogs started running.
Zip even does the teeter totter (with a little help)
After the all the dogs were done, Zip’s family took all the poles down and let Zip run a flat version of the course, and she loved it. What a legend! Zip now participates in charity events called “Run for Glory” where retired and injured dogs get a chance to show off their moves for donations to good causes.
Zip is an inspiration to Sue, who suffers from a degenerative spine issue herself. “Zip has taught me many lessons but, having a disability myself, the most significant lesson is that you can’t let a disability keep you on the sofa, ” Sue told CNN in an interview.
Hat tip: Canidae
