Our ideas of what it means to live a full life continue to evolve. Sometimes pets can teach us that there are many ways to have a great life. Blind dog Stevie Wonder doesn’t really know he’s blind. But he does know he is loved, and he spends time making other people smile every day at his mom’s law office. Meet this remarkable dog!
14. Blind Law Dog
Stevie Wonder is an incredible dog. He goes to work each day alongside his mom, lawyer Ronni Nordal. He has his own office and enjoys meeting clients and cheering everyone up. But things weren’t always so certain for the Canadian pup.
13. Scary Situation
The dog is 14 months old and was one of a litter of nine. Nordal was fostering some of the dogs when it became obvious he had a real problem with his eyes. As a puppy, they just wouldn’t open right. “They weren’t looking like normal eyes. One day I came home and he was not moving, and was sick.”
12. A Blind Puppy
When the vet said he needed to have them removed, Nordal wondered if that was fair to the dog. The vet said the dog was dehydrated and would recover. Still, what would happen to a blind dog? Could he get an adopter?
11. Who Would Adopt Him?
“I actually said, do you think maybe he should be put down?” she recalled. “I wondered how he would get along, and I also wondered because the rescue adopts out puppies, and who would adopt a blind puppy?” The answer was staring her in the face.
10. Didn’t Know He Was Blind
As it turns out, Nordal is exactly the kind of person who would adopt a blind puppy. After speaking with the rescue agency and the vet, she decided that Stevie could lead great life. He didn’t know he was blind, so he didn’t feel a loss.
9. Rescue Team
Another of his siblings had the same vision problem, due to eyes that did not form properly. The Regina rescue agency Nordal works with, CCRezQs, is committed to saving dogs. They paid for Stevie’s care.
8. At Work
Nordal started taking Stevie to work during his recovery. At first she was feeding him a bottle and monitoring his IV.”I kind of fell in love with him,” she said, noting that Stevie sees himself just like any other dog. “No one’s told him he’s blind and he doesn’t know. He does just fine.”
6. Obedience Class
Nordal is a dog lover who was fostering multiple litters at her farm. After a few weeks, she knew she wanted to keep Stevie, since he is still a special dog. She enrolled him in obedience classes. When Stevie aced his obedience classes, doing just as well as sighted dogs, Nordal decided to put him in an obedience test.
5. Championship
Although he was the only mutt and the only blind dog, he went on to win his novice championship. “And what really impressed me was there was strange dogs there, a different environment, and he handled it,” recalled Nordal. “I was really impressed. I was pretty proud.”
4. Rising to the Occasion
Nordal told the judges to judge him just like any other dog. Stevie Wonder rose to the occasion. Everyone was amazed at how quickly Stevie learned; he was much faster than the other dogs in his class. He can do anything he puts his mind to.
3. People Lover
At Nordal’s law firm, Stevie loves being part of the action. “I think he likes being with me. He likes people,” Nordal said. She learns a lot about people who come to the office by how they respond to the dog. Animal lovers don’t even see his disability; they just see a good boy.
2. Everything’s Good
The dog also has epilepsy, but Nordal says he takes it in stride. “He doesn’t really know whether there’s a danger, he can’t see it, and yet he chooses to approach life like everything’s good.” Just one look at his happy faces shows how much he loves life.
1. Second Chances
Although Stevie Wonder has challenges, Nordal believes that he can teach people important life lessons. “It’s a lesson that almost anyone, or any animal, that’s given a chance, and love, can really achieve anything.”