Putting Nicola and Zach Back on the Road

Nicola shares how REMAP have supported her, from the perspective of her beloved springer spaniel, Zach.

There once was a little dog called Zach
Who had problems with his leg and back
We took him to the vet, who told us not to fret 
As they knew of a great charity called REMAP!

Mum is a wheelchair user and Zach, who is a springer spaniel, needed a little lift every now and then as his little legs were starting to get tired from age and arthritis.

So, along came REMAP engineer, Robert, whilst we were living on the Isle of Wight. He had a think and scratched his head, wondering how to do this. Many unusual and inventive ideas were tried and tested to keep Zach and mum safe.

Mum’s all terrain wheelchair was very sturdy, so it was just a matter of time until the best solution was found. Then a new engineer, David, joined REMAP and came along with Robert in 2022. He joined the head-scratching and wondering, but came up with a rough idea which he thought would work.

He made a metal frame that attached to the chassis of the wheelchair sitting above the battery box at the back of the chair making it very sturdy – main part solved. Then, between them, they designed a box with a drawbridge and pulley system to allow Zach to get in and out. (Zach was only around 8/9yrs old and didn’t need it yet, but he’s now 13.5yrs old and uses it every day!)

It worked perfectly from then onwards and Zach managed pretty well when he started using it properly. In the meantime, we moved to West Sussex in 2023, and it still performed very well, and Zach accepted it perfectly.  

We used it every day until earlier this year when we had to change our all-terrain chair, so we contacted REMAP again. In steps the very helpful and knowledgeable Alan who managed to fit the existing box, minus the drawbridge to the new chair without too much trouble in his first visit. So, we were back on the road.

Thank you REMAP, you have allowed us to carry on with our lovely long walks! Zach doesn’t have to miss out and loves the attention he gets with his spaniel ears flapping in the wind!

Thank you to Nicola for sharing her experience of our service – we’re thrilled to have supported her and Zach. Could you benefit from a custom solution? Get in touch.