Puppy Born Without Front Legs and Left to Die in Trash Bag Gets Second Chance

An adorable puppy is stealing hearts all over the internet — and it’s not just because his name is Cupid.

Last week, Cupid, a great pyrenees mix born without front legs, was found in a dumpster outside a building in Toronto. Cupid was taken to Dog Rescuers Inc., an Oakville-based rescue group, and is now happily on his way back to health and awaiting special prosthetics to help him walk.

For the time being, Cupid is using a pair of specialized “training skis,” provided by Toronto-based PawsAbility, to get around. The skis are like training wheels for the puppy without front legs to help him strengthen his core and back legs, according to the rescue group’s Facebook page. As Cupid grows stronger, he’ll be able to move on to actual prosthetics.

According to Dog Rescuers, Cupid got his name because of his heart-shaped nose.

According to the Toronto Sun, there has been a huge outpouring of requests to adopt Cupid, but Joan Znidarec of Dog Rescuers says they are vetting potential caretakers thoroughly to make sure the family understands the special needs Cupid is going to have.

“In his case … we’re looking at somebody who’s willing to work with the fact he is going to have orthotic legs,” said Znidarec. “It means more trips to the vet, it’ll mean a little more wear and tear on his back end … (and) on his body. It also means that his (prosthetic) legs may have to be upgraded as we go along.”

Due to Cupid’s unique condition, he’s also on a strict diet of protein and fiber to help keep his weight down, which will keep extra stress off his body and hind legs.

Dog Rescuers believes that the puppy without front legs will be ready for adoption in a couple of weeks, and asks that if anybody would like to donate to help cover the costs of his treatment, please visit TheDogRescuersInc.ca for information. The group is also hosting a fundraiser on February 19 to raise money for the organization’s other services.