Rescue Dog Puts On Her New Prosthetic Leg And Overflows With Happiness
Dogs seem to have a natural ability to exude joy even when life hasn't treated them well. Need proof? Look no further than a rescued pit bull named Betty. A delightful video of her on TikTok — which has been viewed more than 258,000 times — is captioned, "Pure joy! Betty was found as a stray last fall missing both of her back feet and part of one leg. Today she got a prosthetic and is re-learning to walk, run, and play!" The video shows Betty jumping for the first time, and it's impossible not to share in her excitement at her newly discovered abilities.
@bettyandherboots Pure joy! Betty was found as a stray last fall missing both of her back feet and part of one leg. Today she got a prosthetic and is re-learning to walk, run, and play! #disableddog #prostheticleg #dogprosthetic #dogbrace #pittie
"She has had that jump inside of her for so long!!! What a beautiful brave girl!!" one viewer wrote, while another joked, "And no face was ever unkissed ever again." Netizens instantly fell head over heels for the plucky pooch, calling her a "pretty pup," a "sweetie angel baby girllllll," and an "absolutely gorgeous warrior." One person wrote, "I had a horrible day and this made it 1000x better."
The incredible resilience of dogs
Just how resilient are dogs after losing a leg? A 2015 study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association looked at 64 dogs with amputated limbs. In it, 91% of owners "perceived no change in their dog's attitude after amputation" and 88% "reported complete or nearly complete return to preamputation quality of life." When adopting a three-legged dog, it can be useful to consider obtaining a mobility aid such as a wheelchair or a prosthetic limb. Most tripod dogs adapt well to such devices and go on to live active and joyful lives.
Viewers of the TikTok video certainly noticed Betty's instant acceptance of her prosthetic limb. One wrote, "She got used to it SO QUICK," while another commented, "It's so cool how dogs adapt!!!" One person observed, "Dogs will get better from anything and immediately find out what their maximums are."
Want to read more stories about inspiring dogs? Check out this dachshund puppy trying out her new wheelchair, and this two-legged shih tzu-Yorkie mix who won't let anything keep her away from her blanket.