Dog with six legs left abandoned before heroes help turn her life around!
Pembrokeshire, UK - A Cocker Spaniel named Ariel was abandoned in a supermarket parking lot at just 11 months old after her owners were apparently unable to cope with the dog's pecularities.
According to the veterinary clinic at the University of Bristol, Ariel was born with six legs, two vulvas, and just one kidney.
When news of the dog's cruel fate made the rounds online, nearly $20,000 was raised in donations, per Sky News.
Greenacres Rescue, a veterinary practice in the west of Wales, took care of the Cocker Spaniel and organized for the six-legged friend to be operated on in Bristol.
"Due to having two hip joints on one side, Ariel's pelvis never formed properly," Mikey Lawlor, head of Greenacres Rescue, said. "As a result her normal back right leg had virtually no muscle tone, so there was a possibility that might have had to come off too."
The dog underwent two operations, each of which lasted around two hours.
Thankfully, they proved to be a success, as Ariel was already running around happily and eating and drinking the day after the procedures. After rehab, the Cocker Spaniel is to be placed in a new home.
Lawlor said that Ariel got her name because of her fused limbs, which looked like the tail fin of a well-known mermaid!
Cover photo: Screenshot/Instagram/langfordvets