It’s always a joy to read heartwarming dog stories. They help to rebalance, even if just for a few moments, the madness swirling around us in this world. And so I’d like to share two such stories that popped up in the media recently.
Derby is a gorgeous 2-year-old Husky who was born with a genetic defect whereby his front legs are not fully formed. He was taken in by a rescue organization and fostered by a woman who used a cart with front wheels to help him get around. But it was cumbersome and didn’t allow him to move freely. Fortunately for Derby, his foster mom was the director of a 3-D printer company, and she set to work collaborating with a team of experts to develop a prosthetic device for him.
The results will make you smile!
Here is a video from the end of 2014 that gives a bit of the backstory.
And here is a video from just a week or two ago that shows the results of the progression of prosthetic devices used to fit Derby.
That dog can go! (Though I wonder if the taller prosthetic makes it harder for him to run compared to the lower design.)
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Django, a beautiful ginger-colored dog, found himself separated from his owner when a jihadist opened fire at a pub in Tel Aviv.
The Jerusalem Post reports:
In one of the most heartwarming accounts to emerge in the wake of Friday's tragic shooting attack at a bar in central Tel Aviv, was the unlikely ordeal encountered by a young Israeli man named Ido Lazan and his beloved dog, Django. (snip)
Lazan’s canine companion, who was also present at the bar when the shooting occurred, bolted from the scene amid the loud shots and ensuing commotion.
All the while Lazan was evacuated to a hospital for medical treatment, he never stopped worrying about his dog.
He decide [sic] to take action however, and requested that his brother, Tzachi, take charge in searching for the missing golden-furred dog.
Lazan’s brother, Tzachi, posted a picture of Django on Facebook along with the following message: “My brother was wounded in the incident in Tel Aviv. He was released from the operating room and is being well-cared for, he is in stable condition and we are optimistic. What we are lacking at the moment is help in finding his dog, Django, who was with him at the scene. I would appreciated your help in sharing this post and contact me accordingly. For anyone in the Dizengoff area, please look out [for him].”
A few hours later, Django was found, shaken and wet, sitting in the stairwell of an apartment building near the scene of the attack. He has since been reunited with the owner’s family, who posted a note of thanks along with an update on Lazan’s condition (out of surgery, transferred to the ICU, and stable).
Maybe a way to start the week with a little warmth in the heart.
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Tue Jan 05, 2016 10:00 am
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Two dogs' tales [one involves 3D printing]
