This is a story that will simultaneously pull at your heart strings and fill that same heart up with joy.
It’s the story of a Great Dane named Pegasus, rescued from an irresponsible backyard breeder by filmmaker Dave Meinert as a four-week old puppy, despite the fact that Meinert knew she was sick.
The other dogs born in her litter had either died or been deformed, and she suffered from a pigment deficiency that often leads to deafness and blindness.
Meinert knew that when he took her in, he shouldn’t expect a long-term companion.
“Rescuing her was a way for me to be sure she’d be looked after,” Meinert said. “For me, she had already been born — nothing was going to change that. By rescuing her, at least I could be certain that she wouldn’t be discarded.”
Even though he spent a lot of time educating himself on the pooch’s problems, he didn’t want to dwell on them.
Instead, he decided he wanted to find a way to record and celebrate the healthy, happy times for as long as they might last.
To do that, he set up his camera rig facing the treadmill he used to help her exercise. He built a rig to lock the camera down, and set up lights above the treadmill to control for the change in seasons and other lighting variations, and enlisted the help of animal behaviorist Kieron Piper.
But teaching Pegasus to use the treadmill was much harder than Meinert ever imagined…
“Teaching her to do this would not have been possible without her,” said Meinert, who is used to challenges as a filmmaker and commercials director. “This was by far the hardest thing I have ever done.”
And nearly every day for the next five months, he shot footage of her as she walked, played, and otherwise acted like a puppy in front of the camera. Through the time-lapse footage that Meinert shot, you can see Pegasus grow up right in front of your eyes.
Viewers are presented with the fascinating evolution of Pegasus as she goes from awkward puppy to slightly-less-awkward gentle giant — all on the treadmill that ensures that, regardless of whether she goes deaf or blind, she’ll be able to get enough exercise.
Meinert admits that, despite the heartwarming outcome of the video, it’s still not clear how long Pegasus has.
The risks of a dog with her condition include the dangers that come from the disabilities she may face, as well as a severely increased risk of skin cancers because of the lack of pigment.
But it’s not clear how long any of us have and, as Meinert said, “She’s here now.”
Meinert’s video is not only a reminder about unethical breeding and the importance of animal rescues and adoption, but also about living in the moment — step by triumphant step.
Images via: Fast Company
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