Kids Learn from Champlin Park Student who Makes Wheelchairs for Disabled Pets

A Champlin Park student who makes wheelchairs for animals with disabilities is sharing her passion with a younger generation of kids.

Shaine Kilyun is the founder of Wheelies, a nonprofit organization that makes custom wheelchairs for disabled pets. She builds the devices and either donates them to shelters, or sells them to people for a fraction of what they would normally cost.

“I just wanted to, I guess, educate people and to save as many pets as possible,” said Shaine Kilyun, a junior from Champlin Park. “Because even if they’re disabled doesn’t mean they’re not capable of living. It just means they’re a bit different.”

Recently, she spoke to a group of students from Champlin Park’s school-age childcare program. She talked to the kids about her mission and showed them how she goes about assembling the wheelchairs.

It was an opportunity for the students to learn that just because a pet is disabled, it doesn’t have to be euthanized.

“You kind of just think, how can we fix this? And seeing somebody like her, it really gets me inspired of other things I can do with animals,” said Sophia Leiferaman, a student in the Anoka-Hennepin district.

Kilyun says she’s made ten wheelchairs for various pets since she started her company last winter.