Just a newborn, Gracie was cruelly dumped by her owners outside a veterinary clinic in the US about five years ago. When she was found, she was covered in maggots and had lost the fur under her eyes.
Due to a birth defect, she was missing both of her front legs. It's safe to say that life hadn't been kind to the little pup. But thankfully, the vet who treated her contacted a local shelter, Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue, and her life took a much better turn!
A new family and a new hope
The family who ran the rescue fell so in love with the little dog that they decided to adopt her! The Turley family already had a paralysed dog and a three-legged Chihuahua, so Gracie felt right at home. She quickly became a little star and even has her own Facebook page!
A custom-built wheelchair for a growing puppy
Although little Gracie was happy and playful, her family was worried about her development. She moved around by hopping, which could have hurt her front limbs and made her breathless. Gracie was still too small for any standard dog wheelchair, but then Dylan, a 12-year-old volunteer at the rescue, had a brilliant idea. He decided to build a wheelchair out of LEGOs, which could be easily adjusted to fit her as she grew!
This ingenious idea worked wonders. As you can see in the video below, Gracie was able to take her first steps effortlessly with the help of her LEGO cart! Since then, Gracie has grown up and now uses a proper adult dog wheelchair. She's a playful, spirited little dog who loves chasing balls and playing with her furry friends.
