In our diverse world, individuals from both the human and animal kingdom can be born with unforeseen physical abnormalities. While some are greeted with open arms and acceptance, others are subjected to unfavorable treatment and exclusion due to their distinctive traits. An exceptional puppy named Skipper, with six legs and two tails, had to overcome numerous obstacles as she was abandoned by her mother.
Meet Skipper, a delightful crossbreed of Australian Shepherd and Border Collie. She was born on February 16 in Oklahoma alongside eight other siblings, but her situation was far from typical. Unlike her healthy brothers and sisters, Skipper was born with a combination of congenital conditions that made her case a truly miraculous one. In fact, she is believed to be the first of her kind to survive with these conditions. Sadly, her mother abandoned her, but fortunately, she was taken in by Neel Veterinary Hospital where she received the care she needed. Neel Veterinary Hospital recently shared her heartwarming story on their Facebook page.
Have you ever heard of Skipper, the remarkable canine? Well, this furry friend is anything but ordinary. It turns out that Skipper’s uniqueness stems from a rare condition that resulted from her mother’s pregnancy. Vets at the hospital believe that Skipper’s unusual state was caused by an incomplete split of an egg that was supposed to develop into twins. Fascinating, isn’t it?
Despite the challenges Skipper faced early in life, she has managed to overcome them with her tenacity and the timely medical attention she received. Furthermore, Skipper has duplicate organs from her waist down, but they function correctly, ensuring that she stays healthy. All of these factors contribute to making Skipper an extraordinary and one-of-a-kind dog.
Skipper, the six-legged puppy, has been receiving a lot of love and support from people worldwide. Although some worry about her health, her caretakers have reassured everyone that she is doing great and is free from pain or discomfort. Neel Veterinary Hospital has no intention of euthanizing her as they believe that she will lead a happy and fulfilling life. They are excited to see where her journey takes her.
To keep everyone updated, the hospital has created a Facebook page dedicated to Skipper’s progress. The page has already gained over 55 thousand followers, which demonstrates the immense interest and support for Skipper and her unique story.
Emaciated Dog Now ‘Picture of Health’ After Foster Carer Helps Him Recover
It may be hard to watch this viral video that shows the harsh reality of animal neglect. Harold was skin and bone when he was found wandering the streets in North Oshawa in Ontario, Canada. But now is thriving and just like any other puppy—thanks to his foster carer.
Kayleigh McGovern, a volunteer and team member at Oshawa Animal Services, decided to look after the emaciated dog who was too weak to even walk back in July. She documented his progress and shared a slideshow of images on her TikTok page.
Kathy Pittman-Feltham, the shelter manager told Newsweek: “Harold quickly captured all of our hearts and we were rooting for him to get healthy and find his forever home.”
In the viral video that has 791,800 views, @kayleigh_mcgovern added on-screen text to explain each image. She stated he spent the first three days in bed and he didn’t have the strength to empty his bladder.
She wrote: “We shared many cuddles, watched lots of shows, and most importantly he got lots of rest.”
One image shows Harold’s skeletal body as the on-screen text explains: “This picture is still so jarring to look at. He was examined at the vet for possible causes of his emaciation. The vets concluded the only thing wrong with him was that he was essentially starving to death.”
After a few days of tender love and care, Harold started to feel stronger and became playful. Now four months on, he is just like any other puppy.
Pittman-Feltham told Newsweek: “Kayleigh helped nurse him back to health and he was then adopted by a member of the community who is a second-time adopter from us.
“He is doing phenomenal and is the perfect picture of health.”
Harold’s remarkable transformation has touched the hearts of thousands of TikTok users. But sadly, his situation wasn’t a rare case.
Each year 6.3 million pets are surrendered to U.S. shelters, which is an average of 17,260 a day, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Around 920,000 surrendered animals are euthanized every year. Shelters are striving to minimize euthanasia rates by promoting adoption campaigns, spaying and neutering programs, and behavior rehabilitation.
Pittman-Feltham told Newsweek: “We see many sad cases come through our doors and the team is always excited to be a part of the next chapter in their story as most times we don’t have any information on their past.
“We are hoping Harold’s story shines a light on the many cases across the rescue world that need our help.
“Fostering saves lives and Harold is a perfect example of that!“
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