Thanks to prosthetics and the kindness of strangers, Brutus the Rottwelier can walk again.
Brutus' paws were frostbitten when he was a puppy after careless breeders left him outside in the freezing cold. Rather than bringing him to medical professionals, they crudely amputated his paws themselves and he couldn't walk without pain.
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Fortunately, he found a new home with Laura Aquilina, who fostered and eventually adopted the injured pup. Aquilina set up a GoFundMe page called Better Paws for Brutus to help fund his medical care.
Aquilina was able to raise the money, and OrthoPets, an animal prosthetics developer in Denver, fashioned his new paws, according to the Colorado State University Source. Brutus is only the second dog to receive prosthetics for all four limbs.
Brutus is adjusting to his new paws, but it's still a learning process for the adorable dog and the humans dedicated to his recovery. He is undergoing physical therapy and will receive an upgraded set of prosthetic paws to better suit his needs.
“He’s able to walk in them. It’s not always pretty. We want to be able to give him a higher function, where he can run and play with other dogs, go on hikes,” Aquilina told KTLA.
To keep up with Brutus, you can visit the Facebook page dedicated to his recovery.
BONUS: Puppy facts!