Princess Thumbelina is looking for her castle.
After an exciting voyage from Texas to New York City, the rescue dog is looking for the ideal forever family. She was surrendered to Stone Creek Vet, a veterinary clinic in a remote area outside of Dallas, where Heart and Bones, a foster-based rescue organization working out of Texas and New York City, took the dog in.
"They noticed at away that her front legs were malformed, making it difficult for her to utilize them. They are quite brief. She has paws, but they aren't really functional in the way that a dog's front paws are "When the vet first met Thumbelina, Allison Seelig of Hearts and Bones tells PEOPLE what he observed. They therefore believed that her behavior was likely caused by negligent breeding procedures and that she must have been born with a genetic abnormality for her legs.
Heart and Bones understands there is someone out there yearning for a friend much like this "super" special needs pooch even though Thumbelina's previous owner is unable to care for the dog. Thumbelina had a year or so to experience the world before encountering Hearts and Bones, according to estimates. During that period, the husky/German shepherd mix discovered how to move about by walking on the backs of her paws due to her shorter front legs. Unfortunately, a trip to the vet revealed that Thumbelina's self-taught gait could eventually result in excruciating health problems.
"For a complete year, she had gotten pretty adept at moving around primarily by crawling on her front legs and utilizing her back legs. She'll sit like a meerkat on her back legs "Explained by Seelig.
"She felt comfortable moving in that manner. However, because she doesn't walk on paw-pads, our veterinarian partner was worried that the wear and tear on her front arms over time would create problems. Walking on fur, she. Additionally, it pitches her down at an odd angle, placing a lot of strain on her front torso. They were concerned that this could eventually cause her to have spinal problems "The rescuer of animals says.
Thumbelina was adopted by Hearts and Bones in the spring, and the rescue raised the funds necessary to buy her a hot pink wheelchair that would support her safely as she uses her rear legs to get around. Thumbelina relocated to the founder of Heart and Bones' house in Dallas to receive a crash training in wheelchair mobility.
With this assistance, Thumbelina rapidly mastered her new wheels and made friends with other canines in the neighborhood. Hearts and Bones transported the puppy from Texas, where many shelters are overburdened and overcrowded, to New York City in early August once the rescue's founder was certain that Thumbelina could traverse the world with her wheelchair.
Thumbelina got in with pet foster Megan Penney after arriving in NYC, who considers Thumbelina to be her 200th foster dog. The dog is being cared for by Penney, who only has positive things to say about the puppy who has gotten even better at using her wheelchair and interacting with other dogs, including Penney's own pooches.
Thumbelina has charmed everyone she has encountered while visiting the beach, a park, and the streets of New York City. She is currently anticipating meeting her forever family.
Thumbelina's adopters should be aware that the dog might initially be a little hesitant. "I think she'd do wonderfully in any family as long as someone's ready to be patient," says Seeling.
Having a pet with special needs is not as difficult as some people believe, according to Penney, who is aware of what is required to care for Thumbelina. Thumbelina's adopters must be able to lift 42 pounds, have a home with an elevator, ramp, or level surface, and be in a position to assist the dog in getting in and out of her wheelchair. Outside of these factors, Penney claims that caring for Thumbelina is identical to caring for a dog with fully developed front legs.
Thumbelina just made a special trip to Squeaky Clean Dog Grooming in NYC to be ready for her new home. A pet care business called Pride + Groom paid for her spa day and also supplied the supplies for the animal's makeover. The One Fur All conditioning shampoo from Pride + Groom, which was created to be given to animal shelters and rescues, was one of the items used.
Thumbelina is now completely prepared to begin the subsequent chapter of her existence with her enduring family. Through the Hearts and Bones website, animal lovers who believe Thumbelina is the pup princess they've been waiting for can submit an adoption application.
The animal shelter hopes that people who are now unable to adopt an animal may think about fostering one instead.
"You can genuinely save a dog's life even if you can foster for just two to three weeks. because there are now too many dogs without homes for the shelters to accommodate. There will also be fewer dogs in shelters as more people join up to foster pets "Seeling opined. "And since they are already accustomed to living in a home at that stage, it offers them a better chance of finding a forever home, and it's really excellent to relieve strain on the shelters," the author added.
Just keep in mind that even a concrete kennel in an animal shelter is considerably nicer than your studio apartment, says Penney.