He may not be getting a wheelchair for Christmas butBear the Samoyed is well on the way to receiving the mobility device he needs to prolong his life.
Bay of Plenty Regional Councillor and animal lover Paula Thompson has pledged up to $500 towards the $1000 needed, afterreading about Bear's plight in the Bay of Plenty Times last week.
Bear, owned by Bronwyn Miller, suffers from a degenerative nerve condition that Ms Miller likens to multiple sclerosis.
She estimates her beloved pet will lose the use of his back legs within a year, and she will be unable to care for him because, at 30kg, he is too heavy to lift.
She would then face the painful decision of whether to have him euthanised. The wheelchair would cost around $800, plus $200 in freight from the United States But Ms Miller, who also suffers from a nerve disease, adrenoleukodystrophy (ADL), that affects the strength in her legs, and lupus erythematosus, a collection of autoimmune diseases, is on an invalid's benefit and unable to raise the money herself.