California man makes DIY wheelchair for girlfriend's disabled dog

James Stewart Paniagua, of Barstow, California, fashioned the custom wheelchair for Benny the Pomeranian out of PVC pipes, Velcro straps, super glue and scooter wheels. (iStock)

A Pomeranian in California can walk again after his owner’s boyfriend made him a DIY wheelchair out of PVC pipes and scooter wheels.

Metro.co.uk reported that Benny, the 3-year-old pup, suddenly woke one morning unable to move his back legs. His owner, Brianna, whose last name the news website didn’t disclose, rushed him to the vet, where she learned the surgery that would restore his mobility would cost her about $8,000. A custom wheelchair that would help prevent the dog from dragging his hind legs would cost $1,000, which Brianna also couldn’t afford.

It was then that her boyfriend, 22-year-old James Stewart Paniagua, of Barstow, Calif., thought outside of the box.

Instead of purchasing a costly wheelchair online, Paniagua Googled some DIY options, and then fashioned a $40 wheelchair out of PVC pipes and wheels from a scooter he bought from Wal-Mart. He threw the contraption together with Velcro straps, nuts, bolts and super glue, Metro.co.uk reported.

Thanks to the device, Benny can walk again. A video of the pup walking with his new wheelchair, which he uses to wheel himself along as his back legs remain immoble, has started to go viral. Since being posted Monday, Feb. 15, it has racked up more than 80,000 views.