A little shelter puppy in Ohio gets shown some love. Tumbles, who was born without his two front legs, is now rolling around thanks to the help of a 3-D printed wheelchair (and who says technology doesn’t have a heart!). The wheelchair which was created by the Ohio University Innovation Center, was specifically created for the little two week old pup who was rescued by the Friends of Shelter Dogs in Athens, OH. Karen Pilcher, the organization’s rescue coordinator and Tumble’s foster mom helped to set up the entire project.
Karen Pilcher told ABC News that Tumbles was the runt of three and had trouble nursing because of his missing legs. “He was getting pushed out by the others,” Pilcher commented. “We thought he wouldn’t make it.”
Pilcher’s husband and a close family friend came up with a design and reached out to the University of Ohio Innovation Center for help in making it come to fruition. Tumbles had his first wheelchair fitting which went great!
While Tumbles have to undergo physical therapy to acclimate him to his “wheels”, his outcome looks positive. Pilcher said she and Tumbles are up to the task of getting used to a wheelchair to help him move around. “His spirit is incredible. He’s perfectly happy and he loves to play,” she said.