Gracie was born without front legs due to a birth defect. Her initial owners quickly abandoned her at a young age without regret. Upon her first necessary visit to the vet, Gracie was missing large patches of fur around her eyes and housed maggots on her body, according to boredpanda. Initially unwanted and uncared for, Gracie’s had a rough start to life, needless to say.
After her initial visit, the vet reached out to a local rescue named Mostly Mutts, where she was eventually adopted by the caring Turney family. Gracie soon made a handful of great friends, dog and human.
There were, however, still concerns about her mobility and longevity, as her lack of front limbs put incredible stress on her spine and chest. Her owner worried that physical, long-lasting problems could arise as Gracie grew in frame. Now was the time to act, as puppies grow a considerable amount in their first year.
Gracie’s young age and continued expected growth made her ineligible for a proper wheelchair, unfortunately. According to k9carts.com, most dogs receive a wheelchair in older age to deal with arthritis, intervertebral disc disease, and other physical age-related complications. Fortunately for Gracie, there was another way.
A 12-year-old animal shelter volunteer by the name of Dylan then showed up in Gracie’s life. He proceeded to fashion a LEGO wheelchair, custom-made specifically for Gracie.
Gracie familiarized herself with her first new wheels within a matter of weeks, to great benefit. She took advantage of her new mobility and support. Although constructed with LEGOs, the chair was a fantastic size, equaling her height and providing much needed protection around her chest.
In fact, she’s has had numerous iterations of the LEGO wheelchair through her life. LEGOs proved to be a surprisingly helpful, flexible choice, with the ability to alter as she grew. As her size increased, so did the LEGO frame and wheels.
Once fully grown, Gracie was fitted for a conventional adult dog wheelchair. Thanks to the love of Dylan and the Turney family, Gracie was able to make it past her pivotal first year as a puppy without any major health issues. Gracie now had the emotional and physical support she needed to live a normal life.
Against all odds, Gracie was able to overcome a plethora of challenges in her early life. To help her along the way were a group of special people, such as Dylan and the Turney family, that gave their genuine love. Through their combined strength and efforts, Gracie flourishes, now aptly holding the nickname “Amazing Gracie.”
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