You might have seen Wobbly Hannah on your morning commute, gallumphing in her doggy cart in an empty parking lot or a grassy field.
Practicing her walking skills.
Getting stronger.
Hannah has a condition called cerebellar hypoplasia. That means her brain doesn’t communicate with her muscles, so she sways and stumbles and falls trying to get her legs to work, like a baby learning to walk.
She has her own Instagram account, @WobblyHannahtotheRescue, with more than 4,000 followers and 247 posts.
Hannah snoozing on the couch.
Hannah riding in her red wagon.
Hannah winning first place in an international rescue dog competition — soon to have a plushie dog designed in her honor.
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Hannah swimming in a big pool, wearing a giant inflatable doughnut on her sometimes wobbly neck.
Hannah the influencer modeling a Ruth Bader Ginsburg scarf from Dingus Designs Co. (Mention Wobbly Hannah to get a 15% discount on your own stylish caninewear!)
Cassidy and Meagan Drueppel adopted the 60-pound part-Lab, part-pit bull in November. The couple share custody of 3-year-old Hannah with Cassidy’s parents, Julie and Marty Drueppel, who live down the street from them in south Lincoln.
“We care for her as a family,†Cassidy said. “We have a system where we all help her out.â€
And they are Hannah’s first permanent family.
Hannah had been a stray in San Antonio who ended up at the shelter there and then a series of temporary homes. She was taken in by a special-needs dog rescue in Wisconsin, cycling through more short-term placements while she waited for someone willing to take her in for good.
Cassidy the Dog Lover followed the rescue on social media.
“After about a month, I couldn’t take it anymore,†she said. “It was starting to break my heart.â€
So they brought her home to a dog-friendly house — four rescue dogs among all the Drueppels already — and she fit right in.
Cassidy carries her up and down the stairs and out to the backyard, where the probation officer stands guard while Hannah does her duty. (In case she tips.)
“Hannah is so lucky she survived three years. Most of those stray dogs, they get euthanized.â€
Especially dogs like Hannah, who need so much.
They are happy to give her what she needs.
When Hannah arrived, she had “zero muscle mass,†Cassidy said.
So they worked to get her stronger.
In eight months, she’s gone from walking a few seconds to trotting along for up to 15 minutes — using the cart she came home with from Wisconsin, one Cassidy adapted with pool floaties on the sides for comfort and weights on the rear for stability.
A custom cart is on its way — sent back three times already for tweaks. (Cassidy, the perfectionist, records their walks and then watches the video in slow motion, looking for ways to improve it.)
They find wide-open spaces where Hannah practices walking without distraction, like a teenager with a learner’s permit.
Twice a week, they drive her to The Fit Canine on Vine Street for a swim session with owner Suzanne Border, who says Hannah is a hard worker who doesn’t need a dog biscuit to make it through her workout.
“She has an innate desire to move forward,†she said. “She’s happy to be petted and told she’s wonderful.â€
And everyone thinks so.
She’s admired on her wagon rides through the neighborhood (even by those who peek in expecting to see a baby).
Cheered on Instagram, where her motto is: I wobble proudly!
Cassidy and Meagan started the account so all the helpers and admirers who knew Hannah in the rescue world could follow her progress and cheer her along.
And they were surprised by how many more followers the golden girl with the long pink tongue and white-tipped snout attracted.
They want to show people that special-needs dogs deserve to be saved, Cassidy said, and that the extra work is worth it.
“She’s so motivated to do things. I just feel like she’s owed it.â€
She’s sweet. She’s stubborn. She wants to be loved.
“Her brain just can’t tell her how to move,†Cassidy said. “Other than that, she’s completely just dog.â€
Proceeds from Hannah’s yet-to-be released plush toy will benefit the Be Like Josh Foundation. Josh the Doodle (also a dog with an Instagram account) lives in Arizona and has a condition similar to Hannah’s. The nonprofit helps special-needs dogs and educates the public “about the beauty of special abilities.â€
As for Hannah, she’s having a good summer.
She “models†for three small businesses that cater to pets, which means her people can buy more doggie supplies at a discount for sweet, stubborn Hannah.
And those people are working from home now because of COVID-19, which means less time commuting and more time for cuddles and wobbly walks in a park — or a parking lot — near you.