The Real Bionic Dog

In 2010, rescuers entered an abandoned, foreclosed home in Nebraska and discovered a mother dog and her babies in the frigid basement. The mother had passed away, but her puppies were alive, although one of them had severe frostbite from having four paws encased in a frozen puddle of water. His four feet had to be amputated—and he lost the end of his tail, and part of his nose and ear—but to his rescuers’ surprise, this pup was able to bounce around on his stumps, licking and loving everyone he met.

Although Naki’o’s disability worsened with age, she inspired everyone she met. Her owner came across OrthoPets, a company that manufactured prosthetics for animals, and she was able to raise $1,000 to pay for one prosthetic to be used on the worst of Naki’o’s legs. OrthoPets generously donated the other three legs, and Naki’o mastered wearing them in no time.