Little Miss Lexi’s front legs never fully developed, but that doesn’t stop her from zipping around New York City. The Pekingese–Maltese mix goes to work with her human, Mary Fayet, and attends charity events to help promote Posh Pets Rescue.
The organization learned of Lexi when she was three months old (she turns one on Aug. 10). The backyard breeders who brought her into this world had placed an ad on Craigslist looking for someone to adopt the pup.
“They didn’t have any experience with special needs dogs. So we offered to take Lexi into our foster program,” says Fayet, who volunteers with PPR. “I drove to Brooklyn for the pickup and knew within five minutes I was keeping her.”
Lexi quickly settled into her new family, which also includes Fayet’s husband Tom and a handful of permanent foster dogs and cats. The couple takes in geriatric and special-needs animals for the organization.
Despite not having full use of all four legs, the pup got around their Bronx home just fine. She hopped. Fayet knew that the repeated movement would not be healthy for her long-term.
“The way she positions her body is not good for the alignment of her spine or for her joints,” Fayet explains. “She’s going to have issues when she gets older. We want to make sure that everything that does work remains in the best possible condition.”
To help that happen, the couple ordered a cart for Lexi from Eddie’s Wheels so she could split her time between hopping, lying, and walk-wheeling. The cart came with a bit of a learning curve.
“She just stood there at first,” Fayet recalls. “She wasn’t sure what to do. We got a harness that clips in the front and taught her how to steer. She’s pretty good now.”
So good that Lexi accompanies Fayet to her job as an executive assistant on most workdays. They take the bus into Manhattan, then walk — or walk-wheel in the pup’s case — three blocks to the office. Strangers regularly stop them along the way.
“She definitely makes an impression everywhere she goes. Lexi has a super personality,” says Fayet, who takes the time to explain her condition and mode of transportation whenever she can. “We educate people that a wheelchair can save a dog’s life.”
Once at the office, Lexi gets to work as director of public relations, a role that involves providing pet therapy to coworkers and visitors alike.
“If someone is having a bad day, they can pet her and talk to her. It just changes the atmosphere of the office when she’s here,” Fayet says.
The pair break for lunch each day so Lexi can visit her favorite hot dog cart, where the owner charges her just $1 because she skips the bun and condiments.
After work, they head home to the Bronx, greeting strangers and neighbors alike as Lexi zips along the sidewalk at Fayet’s side. The pup likes to stop and see one neighbor in particular, a young woman with special needs just like her.
“Lauren hugs her and plays with her. She loves the attention,” Fayet says of their special bond.
Lexi also got plenty of affection during the recent Broadway Barks event in Times Square. She and her human spent time at the PPR booth, helping to raise awareness for the organization, which helps dogs and cats of all breeds and ages, no matter the medical condition. It relies on contributions to do so, and Fayet points to Lexi as an excellent example of its importance.
“She has a great personality. Despite her deformity, Lexi’s a very happy-go-lucky dog and carries that with her all the time.”
To see more of Lexi in action, including video of her wheeling around the city, check out her Facebook page. And if you know of other dogs we should feature as Monday Miracles, let us know in the comments with a link to their Facebook or other social media pages!
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