Meet Kiko, the paralyzed Chihuahua who found a forever home with a former vet tech

There's a reason we've taken a lot of towels, blankets and clothes to the Anderson Animal Shelter in South Elgin through the years, or made donations in various ways through fundraisers.

We love animals, especially dogs. Our son has also adopted a dog through the shelter.

So we were drawn in by the shelter's summer newsletter highlighting a story about Kiko, a Chihuahua with paralyzed back legs that the shelter took from an owner who could not care for him.

The shelter staff went to work on helping Kiko recover from various health problems in addition to getting a hind-leg wheelchair to help him walk.

As the story goes, Michelle Adams, a shelter volunteer, purchased that wheelchair and became rather close to Kiko. She began talking to her friend, Ellen Ferguson of Glendale Heights, about maybe adopting this resilient animal.

Ferguson, a former vet technician, had just lost a dog of 17 years and didn't think she was quite ready to adopt another one. But when she met Kiko last October, it was love at first sight.

We had to connect with Ferguson to see how Kiko is doing these days.

“When I saw Kiko, I thought oh my god, he was such a little soldier dragging those legs,” Ferguson said. And she didn't like the thought of Kiko living in a cage for almost two years.

“I agreed to foster him in about 20 minutes, and then there was no way I was letting this dog go,” she said.

Kiko was put on a medical regimen right away, as Ferguson took him to a “doggy chiropractor, acupuncturist and massage therapist.”

Kiko began to respond to the treatment, amazing Ferguson along the way.

“He gradually started deliberately placing his back legs in a way to start taking steps,” she said. “Now, he has kind of a wacky gait, but he walks and runs all over the place.”

But it's not always smooth sailing. “Every once in awhile, one leg gets a little weak and he drags one until he gets them untangled,” Ferguson said.

After having two German shepherds, Ferguson was reluctant at first to get a new dog.

“I started out with the big dogs, and now I have ended up with this 7-pound Chihuahua,” she said. “But he's just a little cuddler.”

Any story about saving a dog's life deserves to be shared. We're especially happy to do so to help those thinking about getting a pet, or maybe donating to the shelter.

Tempting lot:

It doesn't happen often, but there have been a few occasions in which it would have been ideal for me to park my car in the empty lot at Third and Hamilton streets in Geneva when running errands in that part of downtown.

The lot is always empty, but for a reason — it's not a public lot.

It is owned by the Ashland Center office space across Third Street, and that building doesn't have tenants at the moment.

The center, owned by Ashland Ventures LLC in Wilmette, is in the process of improving the building and trying to lure tenants. The last one in that spot was the 25N Co-working meeting space that moved to 25 N. River Lane.

In the meantime, it has to be fairly difficult for restaurants like Nosh and Gia Mia and other businesses in that region to see that some convenient parking spots can't be used.

Cops at Culvers:

If enough people give their servers nice tips at the St. Charles Culver's on Randall Road on Thursday, Aug. 30, the Special Olympics Illinois organization will benefit greatly.

Those servers from 4 to 8 p.m. will be St. Charles Police officers, doing their part in the “ButterBurgers & Badges” fundraiser. Any tips the officers receive in delivering meals to customers will be donated to Special Olympics Illinois.

The St. Charles Police Department says it has raised $10,000 for Special Olympics Illinois already this year and is looking forward to adding to that total.

History and dancing:

The St. Charles History Museum will do what it does best from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 24, when it takes visitors back in time with the opening of the new exhibit “Homefront — Echoes of the Great War.”

It will highlight the efforts of local men and women 100 years ago during World War I.

But it will also include a dance performance and a lesson by professionals from Lux Dance Studio. I'm guessing we'll be looking at some dances from that era — the Fox Trot and Charleston.

Those taking a look at what curator Amelia Deering, a summer intern, has put together for the exhibit will see uniforms, letters, post cards and other artifacts from that time in our history.

Cut some brush:

Our walks through Bliss Woods in Sugar Grove are always enjoyable, and anyone who hasn't spent a little time in this forest preserve might want to give it a try.

One opportunity takes place from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aug. 25, when volunteers get together to participate in a habitat restoration.

Volunteers will cut and stack invasive brush and trees, so anyone interested in this activity should wear long pants and sleeves, gloves and sturdy shoes. Organizers are asking that volunteers bring non-spray bug repellent.

Volunteers will meet at the main parking lot off Bliss Road. Anyone younger than 13 has to be accompanied by an adult. For more information, call Robb at the Kane County Forest Preserve, (630) 232-5980.

dheun@sbcglobal.net