Sick Little Girl Rewards Her Great Dane Service Dog For Helping Her Walk Again

May 06, 2020 by apost team

Dogs and their human owners have a special bond. Ask anyone who has ever had a dog and they will tell you that they regard their dogs not just as pets, but as members of their family. Service dogs have a particularly strong bond with the people that they help. Those with disabilities rely on their service dogs for their very lives and to ensure a dignified quality of life. To show her service dog how much he means to her, a young girl from Massachusetts recently gave him an incredibly special reward.

11-year-old Bella Burton suffers from a rare condition called Morquio syndrome. The condition, which is progressive, hampers Bella’s mobility and forces her to rely on a wheelchair or crutches. Bella’s mom, Rachel, sought out many ways to help her child, including contacting the Service Dog Project, Inc. in Ipswich, Massachusetts. The Service Dog Project trains Great Danes to help people like Bella who face problems with mobility. With their large size and strength, Great Danes are especially helpful to people who have difficulty walking.

Bella and her family volunteered with the Service Dog Project for about a year before meeting George. The 2-year-old Great Dane and Bella seemed to have an instant rapport. One day, when Bella refused to leave George’s kennel, Rachel knew that he would make a great part of the family and the big guy was donated to Bella by the organization.

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Since joining their family, Bella has had a marked increase in her mobility. Speaking with reporters from BarkPost, Rachel says that she never expected Bella to make so much progress. Bella herself adds that having George in her life has made her more independent. Due to his amazing efforts on behalf of Bella, BarkPost awarded George a Dog’s Best Day, a whole day of fun activities for very special canine friends.

First, Bella and Rachel brought George to the Fairmount Copley Plaza Hotel in Boston, where he was given a hero’s welcome by the staff. Next, George was served a full plate of hamburgers at the Wahlburgers, one of the most famous hamburger restaurants in the city.

For George’s second big reward of the day, the family traveled to Blue Hills Ski Area, where the big guy got to frolic in the snow with Bella. The little girl explains that George loves the snow and that zipping around in the white landscape is his most favorite hobby.

On the way back to Boston, George got to sample some of the tasty treats at the Polka Dog Bakery. George was particularly happy to find a massive doggy bone, with Bella commenting that it was the first bone she has seen that matches George’s size. Upon returning to their hotel suite, George was treated to a whole room full of toys and even a coat and matching collar and leash. The big guy was also gifted a large dog bed.

BarkPost was not done with their gifts just yet, however. The organization presented the family with a framed photo of Bella and George frolicking in the snow from earlier in the day. In a written message, BarkPost celebrated the friendship between Bella and George and announced that they would be donating $1,000 in Bella’s name to the Service Dog Project so that the group could continue its mission of helping people in need.

In sum, Bella and George’s story shows how much service animals mean to the people that they help. George transformed Bella’s life by giving her more mobility. In turn, Bella showed her appreciation for George by giving him a whole day of fun in Boston.

What do you think of Bella and George’s story? Do you know someone who has a service animal? Let us know in the comments and be sure to pass this article along to others!