A special dog who has become famous online is going on tour across Chatham-Kent.
Winnie, a dog living with special needs from Charlotte's Freedom Farm near Dresden, will be hitting the road this week to share an inspiring story of resilience at three of Chatham-Kent’s libraries.
"With just a little help, Winnie has written a book titled Winnie’s Warriors that tells a story about him and his gang of special needs friends that live at Charlotte’s Freedom Farm," said Event Planner Haleigh Hill.
Parents and their children will have a chance to learn about Winnie and all of the other animals living on the farm.
Hill said the book highlights a special group of dogs that live their absolute best lives, despite looking a little different on the outside.
Winnie. (Photo courtesy of Charlotte’s Freedom Farm)
"When Winnie first came to the farm in the summer of 2021, he had no idea he would become an internet-famous pup and an inspiration to all who meet him," said Hill. "Winnie arrived at Charlotte’s Freedom farm when he was about 6 weeks old. Winnie was born with some deformities. This is due to some parts of his body not developing properly when he was in the womb. Winnie’s front legs are deformed, and he is missing most of his sternum."
Winnie sports a custom wheelchair and a nub cover for one of his front arms so that he can run around and play just like any other animal.
According to Hill, Winnie has gained "worldwide" attention online. He has over 50,000 followers on Instagram and over one million views on a video that was featured on The Dodo's Youtube channel.
His book has been shipped to six states in the United States.
On Friday, October 7, residents will be able to join Winnie for a special reading of his book at the library in Chatham from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m, at the Dresden library from 12:30 p.m. to1:30 p.m., or at the library in Wallaceburg from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
The book will also be available to purchase at each location.