Tater Tot lends a paw as a dedicated volunteer

Wheelchair-bound Yorkie brings abundant joy to patients and residents

Story by Cassie Ford | Photo & video by Evan Isbister

When Amy Tinson and her one-year-old puppy Tater Tot began visiting patients in Mannville and Vermilion, Tinson didn’t realize the profound effect her visits would have on patients and their families.

They began volunteering in September 2024, and the pair now make monthly visits to the Mannville Continuing Care Centre, the Vermilion Continuing Care and the acute care unit at the Vermilion Hospital. Residents and patients love to take turns throwing the ball for him, or having a cuddle with him on their laps or on their beds.

“One resident had a couple visits with Tater in the hospital before being moved to the Mannville Care Home, and when we showed up there, he was so happy,” says Tinson. “He said he thought he’d never get to see his little buddy Tater again.”

Elizabeth Myhovich, a volunteer coordinator for the Central Zone, says it’s important for residents to have access to animals.

“This is a farming community so many of them grew up around animals,” says Myhovich. “It’s so special that, through our volunteers, we can give the residents the opportunity to continue that connection with animals.”

Tater Tot became paralyzed as a puppy from an accident in February 2024. Tinson rushed him to an emergency vet who suggested Tater Tot be euthanized. Tinson was not prepared to do that, so she took him to another vet for a second opinion.

This vet confirmed Tater Tot is paralyzed and would never walk, but he told Tinson that euthanasia does not need to be the first line of treatment.

“He explained that there's a difference between pain and suffering, and pain is treatable,” says Tinson.

The vet sent Tinson home with pain medication, and within two weeks, Tater Tot was able to stop taking it. When he was big enough, they got him into a wheelchair, and today he’s an active and energetic pup.

“He loves to chase soccer balls and remote control cars around the yard with our kids. He has a life jacket and plays fetch in the water. We take him hiking and he goes up and down the hills in his wheelchair,” says Tinson. “He does all the dog stuff.”

Although it’s obvious to her that Tater Tot isn’t suffering, Tinson has faced judgment from some who say it’s cruel to have him in a wheelchair. She decided to volunteer with him to show people pets with disabilities can lead full and happy lives.

Tinson and Myhovich both say it’s because of his wheelchair that many patients and residents connect so strongly with Tater Tot — particularly people who use wheelchairs themselves.

“A lady in acute care didn’t want to do her occupational therapy in her wheelchair,” says Tinson, “but when Tater came down the hallway in his chair, she lit up and said, ‘I'll get in my wheelchair and throw the ball for him.’”

Tinson says she’s had so many touching experiences in the months since they began volunteering, but a particular visit stands out for her when the pair were visiting acute care patients at the hospital in Vermilion.

A family with two very young boys was visiting their grandfather who was nearing the end of his life. The boys threw the ball for Tater Tot for a while before the parents asked if Tater Tot could visit with the grandfather.

Tater Tot cuddled up on the bed, and they placed their grandfather’s hand on him and asked if he could feel his fur and feel how tiny he is. He nodded his head and smiled, and the family took pictures and videos of the interaction.

“I found out he passed away that night,” says Tinson, “and I felt so privileged for Tater and me to have had a part in making it a more peaceful experience for that family.”

Myhovich says she can’t thank Tinson and Tater Tot enough for the joy they bring to patients and residents.

“I'm always amazed at how much our volunteers do for us,” says Myhovich. “I try to tell them often how much I appreciate them, but nothing I could do or say even compares to what they give to us every day.”

But Tinson says volunteering is as much for her as it is for the patients and residents.

“I feel selfish because I get a lot out of volunteering,” she says. “I love getting to see firsthand the impact we have and how happy we make people. I can’t describe it, but it’s just an amazing feeling.”

National Volunteer Week runs April 27 to May 3. Help us celebrate the contributions of our amazing volunteers.

Please take a moment to share your appreciation for volunteers on Thanks For Caring or by using the hashtag #NVW2025 on social media.