Baseball Team Adopts Blind Puppy

Friday, June 15th, 2012 at 2:37 pm

Puppy Is Clubhouse Star

The Albuquerque Isotopes, a minor league baseball team, have added a new member to their team but his claim to fame has nothing to do with baseball! The newest member of this baseball team

Screen Shot 2012 06 15 at 2.08.17 PM Baseball Team Adopts Blind Puppy

is a 6-month-old German Shepherd mix named Stevie Wonder. This little puppy is just like any other puppy. He loves to be outside, he loves to play ball and he has endless energy but he isn’t anything like any other puppy. This little puppy is blind.

“He’s got no eyes, but he’s about as happy as they get,” said pitcher John Ely.

Ely and some other players were volunteering at Watermelon Ranch when they heard Stevie’s heartbreaking story. Volunteers found Stevie wandering the streets of Bernalillo County. He had been the victim of cruel abuse and as a result of his injuries, one of his eyes had to be removed immediately. The other eye was badly infected and had already caused blindness. It also had to be removed. Other than being blind, when Stevie recovered he was fully healthy.

Stevie’s owner is Ely but the rest of the team is also his family. They have all taken Stevie in as one of their own and are helping him adjust to life without eyes. They want to make sure that Stevie has a fair chance at life.

Stevie has occasional spills and sometimes runs into walls, but overall, he is doing really well. His sense of smell and hearing are great and he kind of sniffs his way around. He walks around without any kind of issues.

Ely’s home is back in Chicago with girlfriend Betina Gozo and they have decided that Stevie will stay there long term. Ely feels that it is better for Stevie to have a permanent home. The guys aren’t too happy with Ely for sending Stevie back to Chicago but Ely plans on bringing Stevie back to Albuquerque to visit with his adopted family, the Isotopes.

Stevie and the rest of the Albuquerque Isotopes will be on hand to sign autographs and collect donations at the Watermelon Mountain Ranch Mega Adoptathon June 22-24 at the Coors Bypass PetSmart store in Albuquerque.