Meet Thumbelina, an extraordinary husky/German shepherd mix searching for her perfect forever family. This adorable pup is equipped with a custom hot pink ᴡʜᴇᴇʟᴄʜᴀɪʀ, which helps her navigate life with style. Her incredible journey started all the way from Tᴇxᴀs to the bustling streets of New York City.
Thumbelina’s story begins outside of Dallas, where she was rescued by Hᴇᴀʀᴛ and Bones, a foster-based ʀᴇsᴄᴜᴇ group operating in both Tᴇxᴀs and New York City. She had been surrendered to Stone Creek ᴠᴇᴛ, a ᴠᴇᴛᴇʀɪɴᴀʀʏ office located in a rural area outside Dallas.
Allison Seelig from Hᴇᴀʀᴛ and Bones shares her observations about Thumbelina upon their first meeting: “It quickly became apparent that she had difficulty using her front ʟᴇɢs, as they appeared ᴅᴇꜰᴏʀᴍᴇᴅ and unusually short. Although she has paws, they do not function in the same way as a typical dog’s front paws would. We suspect that this is most likely due to irresponsible breeding practices, resulting in a ɢᴇɴᴇᴛɪᴄ ᴅᴇꜰᴇᴄᴛ that she was born with.”
While Thumbelina’s previous owner couldn’t provide her with the care she needed, Hᴇᴀʀᴛ and Bones believe that there is a perfect family out there for this incredible special needs pup. Estimated to be around one year old, Thumbelina had the chance to explore the world before finding her way to Hᴇᴀʀᴛs and Bones. Despite her shorter front ʟᴇɢs, she has developed a remarkable ability to walk on the backs of her paws.
Unfortunately, a visit to the ᴠᴇᴛᴇʀɪɴᴀʀɪᴀɴ revealed that Thumbelina’s self-taught walking style could lead to ᴘᴀɪɴꜰᴜʟ ʜᴇᴀʟᴛʜ ɪssᴜᴇs in the future. Seelig explains, “She has been relying on her back ʟᴇɢs and crawling with her front ʟᴇɢs for an entire year, and she has become quite adept at it. However, our ᴠᴇᴛ partner expresses concern about the wear and tear on her front arms over time since she is not walking on paw-pads but on fur. Furthermore, the strange angle at which she walks exerts added ᴘʀᴇssᴜʀᴇ on her front body, potentially leading to sᴘɪɴᴀʟ ɪssᴜᴇs.”
Thankfully, with the support of her new wheels, Thumbelina quickly adapted and even made new friends in her neighborhood. In early August, Hᴇᴀʀᴛs and Bones felt confident that Thumbelina was ready to take on the world with her ᴡʜᴇᴇʟᴄʜᴀɪʀ, so they made the journey from Tᴇxᴀs, where many shelters are overwhelmed and overcrowded, to New York City in preparation for her adoption. Thumbelina has already enjoyed trips to the beach, park, and the city streets, impressing everyone she encounters along the way. Now, she eagerly awaits her forever family.
Seeling believes that Thumbelina would thrive in any loving home, as long as her adopters are patient. Initially, she may be a bit shy, but with time and care, she will flourish. Penney, who understands the special care Thumbelina requires, reassures potential adopters that having a special needs pet is not as daunting as it may seem.
Thumbelina’s adopters should be able to lift 42 pounds since she needs assistance getting in and out of her ᴡʜᴇᴇʟᴄʜᴀɪʀ. Additionally, their home should have suitable accessibility through an elevator, ramp, or level surface. Penney emphasizes that caring for Thumbelina is similar to caring for a dog with fully formed front ʟᴇɢs, with these considerations being the only additional requirements. Thumbelina is now fully prepared to embark on the next chapter of her life with her forever family. If you believe Thumbelina is the pup princess you’ve been longing for, you can submit your adoption application through the Hᴇᴀʀᴛs and Bones website. Seeling encourages individuals to consider fostering as well, as it can genuinely save a dog’s life. By fostering, you alleviate the pressure on overcrowded shelters, giving more dogs the chance to find their forever homes. Remember, even your studio apartment is much cozier than a concrete kennel in an animal shelter.”
