I’m so amazed by the work being done by innovative prosthetists and veterinarians for amputee animals. Their forward-thinking work—often in the face of complaints such as, “Why would you spend so much time and money making a prosthesis for an animal, anyway?”—not only saves animals’ lives, but also often leads to new discoveries that help human amputee patients, too. With countless success stories out there, here are five beautiful animals and their amazing prosthetics:
Derby the dog: Try not to cry tears of joy while watching this beautiful Husky mix with deformed legs run in his new feet. Once in line to be euthanized, Derby is now happy in his forever home. He even has a Facebook page! You can learn more about his special prosthetics here.
Oscar the cat: Oscar lost his back feet in an accident, but thanks to supervet Noel Fitzpatrick (whom I’ve mentioned before on this blog) and his heartful humans, Oscar can now live a normal, happy cat life on all four paws.
Beauty the bald eagle: You almost wouldn’t know this beautiful bald eagle has a 3D-printed beak; it looks that realistic. But after surviving a shot to the face by a poacher and being nursed back to health from the brink of death, Beauty’s beak was reconstructed by a team of scientists. The prosthetic beak now allows her to drink water on her own, groom herself and, basically, live a normal life.
Allison the sea turtle: Following an attack by a predator, Allison lost all her fins but one and could only swim in circles. But thanks to a helpful intern and the “ninja suit” ultimately designed for her, Allison the Atlantic green sea turtle can now swim like a pro. Click here for a closer look at her awesome prosthetic fin and jacket.
Winter the dolphin: The movies “Dolphin Tale” and its sequel are based on the story of Winter, who was found caught in a crab trap. Her prosthetic tail, which now allows her to swim normally, is made of silicone and plastic. Human amputees are now benefiting from the lessons learned in building and fitting her with this device.
{P.S. For a few more inspiring stories of animal amputees, including an Appaloosa-Shetland pony who lost a leg, check out this striking photo essay in Wired.}