A team of Elizabethtown College Engineering students has provided the freedom of mobility for a permanently paralyzed puppy named Jimmy, constructing a wheelchair for the local pitbull as part of a class project.
Claire Cuvo ’24, Bridget Ward ’24, Olivia Swope ’23, Andrew Raab ’24, and Clayton Greer ’22 designed and fabricated Jimmy’s mobility cart in their Community Project Engineering course, which requires students to craft a project for a non-profit within the community. The Jays worked with Pitties Love Peace, an Elizabethtown-based organization dedicated to the rescue, education, and advocacy of pitbulls and bully breeds.
Jimmy arrived at Pitties Love Peace at six weeks old back in November after being surrendered by his owner. It was soon discovered that Jimmy had a congenital deformity of his spine, which meant that no surgery or treatment could be performed to restore functionality to his back legs. To provide Jimmy with a higher quality of life, he would need a custom-built dog cart to give him the ability to walk comfortably.
The team of Engineering students had to ensure that the cart was easy to clean, seeing as Jimmy’s health issues may cause difficulty down the line. Additionally, the cart was needed to withstand Jimmy’s growth for as long as possible since he will need another cart created once he is fully grown. Seeing that the cart will only be used for a relatively short period of time, the students utilized recycled, sustainable resources.
“I am very passionate about animals, so this project is very near and dear to my heart,” Cuvo said. “Seeing Jimmy try to walk for the first time was heartbreaking because you can tell that he wants to run and play and just be a puppy, but he isn’t able to. It only motivated us more to do this project because our work allows him to do that.
“I am so grateful for the Etown Engineering program to have the opportunity to make such an impact on the community.”
The group of Blue Jays delivered Jimmy’s cart in late April. Having never stood up or walked on his own before, Jimmy will need some time to get used to his new wheels. His foster mom, Shannon, will continue working with Jimmy as he strengthens and learns to use his leg muscles.
Associate Professor of Engineering & Physics Brenda L. Read-Daily, Professor of Engineering & Physics Kurt DeGoede, and Assistant Professor of Engineering & Physics Mark Brinton, along with Manager of Engineering Laboratories & Student Fabrication Mark Gatti and Administrative Assistant Jennifer McFadden, each assisted the five students with their project, which received Honorable Mention at the department’s end-of-semester EMCS Awards Ceremony.