Pet celebrity 'Anderson Pooper' now helping other disabled animals

SEATTLE -- A dachshund from Mountlake Terrace, Wash., is making a big difference, all because her wheels are turning.  Anderson Pooper is an Internet sensation, and it’s not just because of her name.

“She really shows what disabled animals can do and how wonderful they are. She's the first disabled dog in a wheelchair that has raced in a wiener dog race and people just want to root for her,” says owner Brenda Sizer.

Pooper's claim to fame came when she competed in a wiener dog race at Emerald Downs.

“We had a friend videotape it and my husband put it up on the Internet.  We thought, ooh, you know, we'll just share it with our friends’, Sizer says.

But Sizer says the video was shared and viewed hundreds of thousands of times.



Even CNN journalist Anderson Cooper took notice of his furry namesake, sharing Pooper's video with his millions of followers.

“Every animal is important and sometimes they get a bad shake in life and they don't deserve it,” says Sizer.

Now, Anderson Pooper is the face for a local nonprofit called Animals With Disabilities. Their mission is to help disabled dogs and cats live life to the fullest.

“People here really do love their animals and take good care of them. It’s a good place to find them homes,” says Sizer.

Just like Seattle, Anderson Pooper is different. He's quirky. He knows what it means to be the underdog, literally.  And he's home here.

That's why little Pooper and his team are trying to help a kitten named Frank.

Frank's back legs are also paralyzed and his current caretaker hopes to get Frank from Mexico to Seattle for proper medical care and an accepting, loving home.

“She ended up seeing Anderson's video and that’s how she found out about our organization.  She emailed me asking if we could somehow help,” says Sizer.

Pooper's team launched a campaign on social media to raise the funds to bring Frank to Seattle and, so far, they've got quite a ways to go.

“We can all, as people, learn from animals that are disabled like this because they never feel sorry for themselves. They just do what they have to do and they are happy,” says Sizer.

What she lacks in the rear, she leads the pack with, from the heart.  Sizer believes just like Pooper, Frank can have a chance in Seattle, too.

“Every animal deserves a chance and they’re all put on this world for a certain reason.  He is just a special cat that found us and found Anderson Pooper.  He really deserves to have a chance,” says Sizer.

To learn more about Anderson Pooper or find out how you can help Frank the Kitten,  click here.