HO CHI MINH CITY – Mr. Oscar, a Colombian, and his wife, Anh Thu, are raising 7 disabled cats and dogs and helping to make wheelchairs for hundreds of others.
Every morning, people around the residential area on Bung Ong Thon Street, Thu Duc City meet Mr. Oscar Fernando Ruiz Bonilla, 44 years old, Colombian, and his wife, Anh Thu, with more than a dozen dogs and cats, including more than half of them. walking disability.
Mr. Oscar came to Vietnam 6 years ago. Initially, he started a business by opening a restaurant to cook local dishes.
In 2019, when meeting Ms. Anh Thu, a general practitioner also rich in love for pets, the two set up the Forever Wheelchair Center. This is a place to make wheelchairs, prostheses and raise funds to save abused, abandoned, and disabled pets.
Holding a “little brother” named Bird Fish, Mr. Oscar said that this was one of the first dogs the couple saved and adopted because of the pitiful circumstances. Two years ago, this animal had its legs amputated and thrown on the street. “At that time, that ’em’ was thin and very aggressive after the accident. His body was full of the smell of sea fish, so I named him bird fish,” he said.
A Poodle named Tina was also adopted by the couple and specially designed for a wheelchair. Tina is over a year old, paralyzed and born with diabetes.
Mr. Oscar also owns 4 cats, including 2 with polio, making them their own wheelchairs. To date, the two have rescued about 300 cats and dogs.
“For me, witnessing a paralyzed pet being able to walk normally thanks to a wheelchair is the greatest happiness. Many dogs and cats I want to adopt but the house is not large enough and lacks caregivers, so I will try to find a new owner for them. , full of love for animals,” said the 44-year-old.
Every day, the couple takes their dogs and cats to the park near their house to walk and take pictures. They affectionately call their pets “children” and address them as parents.
“Each pet has its own name and different interests. Like these two cats, despite their disabilities, every time they go for a walk, they just like to sit on the basket for the brown brother to pull him away instead of using a wheelchair,” said Ms. Anh Thu.
At first, the couple used their own money to make free wheelchairs for injured and paralyzed pets. Later, two people called for funding. Since then, the products they make have also been ordered by the dog-loving community.
The couple’s dogs and cats always attract the curiosity and interest of many people, especially children, when taking them for a walk.
In addition to spending time with his dog, Mr. Oscar stays at home with his wheelchair partner. There is no school to teach how to make this tool, he taught himself about animal anatomy, assembly techniques, 3D printing technology… and then practiced.
Two years ago, when homemade wheelchairs became widely known, Mr. Oscar took a break from the restaurant to focus on this work. His products are exported to the US, Canada…
Owners of pets with disabilities just need to send a video of their disability, height, width, weight… for Oscar to make a suitable car. Each one usually takes about 3 days to a week to design and assemble with prices ranging from 2.5 to 6 million VND.
The profit the couple deducts a part to transfer to the dog and cat rescue stations in Saigon. Currently, each month they call for funding to build wheelchairs for nearly 15 cats and dogs. Follow vnexpress