SAUGUS — Lisa Mattuchio’s dog rescue isn’t your average one. Her rescue, Eddie’s Ranch, focuses heavily on dogs who need a second chance and even more so on dogs on wheels.
Eddie’s Ranch became an official non-profit at the beginning of this year, with the hope of helping disabled dogs walk again and find their forever homes.
The name for the ranch came from Mattuchio’s dog, Eddie, who also needed a special wheelchair to get around.
“Eddie had a disability and was on wheels. I just felt that there was a need to rescue more dogs like that. I think they need a little extra love,” Mattuchio said.
Right now, she has seven dogs on her ranch, along with cats who also have disabilities.
The dogs include Sonny, Holly, Stevie Edward, Scotty, Misty Mae, Josie Lynn, and Princess. Her cats are Timothy C. James, Mr. Norwal, Sweet Caroline, and Rosie Khaleesi Diamond Marie.
Sonny is the only dog currently up for adoption, as Mattuchio owns the others. Sonny, a golden doodle on wheels, came to the rescue after his family could no longer care for him due to his medical issues. He’s exactly the type of dog Mattuchio has dedicated her time to.
“He’s starting to walk. I work with them. We go to therapy, I get them walking, and then adopt them out.”
Sonny has made some great progress and his physical therapist is certain that he’s going to be walking again, according to Mattuchio.
Since the start of the year she has placed seven animals into permanent homes including another doodle on wheels and a cat with cerebellar hypoplasia.
All of Mattuchio’s dogs and cats have certain disabilities, but it was clear that with Mattuchio’s care and love they were thriving.
“The energy in this house is very peaceful,” she said. “They just sleep. We just have a quiet house. I like to play classical music for them, and it calms everybody down.”
Mattuchio also showed off her catio, where Timothy C. James was eager to show off all of its different components, and pose for the camera.
Another cat in the catio, Sweet Caroline, a kitten who struggles to use her back legs due to a neurological disorder, was rescued by Mattuchio recently.
“The neurologist said there was a 50% chance of her getting healthy and I said I’m doing it. I’m going to dedicate all of my time and I did it,” she said.
Sweet Caroline and the rest of the animals on the ranch have shown just how important it is to be in a loving home with someone who is willing to dedicate their time and resources providing help.
Mattuchio’s whole space is dedicated heavily to her pets. Not only did she have a catio built, but she also added a coyote proof pen to ensure her small dogs are safe outside.
“I knew I had to start a rescue not just because I wanted to, but because I was in the position to save a lot of animals … I had the space for it … I’m very blessed and I’m lucky, I knew I was born to do this,” she said.
Mattuchio has also started a TikTok page and Instagram, both of which are dedicated to Eddie.
“Eddie is my soul dog, and he was Eddie on wheels, and he kind of exploded on social media. At the end of the day, he changed the person I was to the core. In that moment, I said to myself I’m going to rescue everybody like Eddie. I created this rescue in his name and in honor of him,” she said.
You can find Matucchio on social media at Eddieonwheels and on her website eddieonwheels.com where you can fill out adoption forms and donate to the rescue.
