Dog with 6 legs adopted by bullied teen: 'Now he's got a best friend'
FOX NEWS - A cute puppy in England was named after a kangaroo because she hops around on her back paws – as she was born with 6 legs.
Roo, an eight-week-old Labrador-cross, jumps around on her back paws because she was born with two extra front legs, which cause her a little trouble when she walks.
Lauren Salmon, 33, from Orpington, Kent, recently bought Roo from breeders in Essex two weeks ago after her son Luke, 15, spotted the special pup online.
Lauren has now contacted Dr. Noel Fitzpatrick - the specialist who stars in Channel 4’s ‘The Supervet’ - to see if he can help to improve Roo’s mobility, because her extra legs get in the way when she's walking.
“When she jumps up on us she looks like a kangaroo, hence the name,” Lauren said. “But when she walks, she sort of staggers on her elbows with her bum in the air, like an army crawl.”
“It’s sad but it’s cute at the same time because she is so full of energy,” she continued.
“We absolutely love Roo to pieces. She’s is just a normal dog to us - just with a couple of extra bits,” the proud mom said. “Her special legs don't cause her any pain, and it's easy to see just how full of life she is.”
“She's full of puppy energy, so we'd describe her as placid but playful. There are not many dogs like Roo out there,” Lauren went on. “I think the breeders kill them off because they’re not worth anything, but to us she's priceless.”
When Luke and his mom went to pick up Roo, she came “bounding out” of her puppy pen and jumped up at the pair on her hind legs.
“It was love at first sight for Luke and for Roo from then on,” Lauren recalled. “Luke is like a protective father. They never leave each other’s sides and she even sleeps in his bed.”
Luke, a student, suffers from psoriasis and has been bullied because of the disorder which leaves the skin covered in flaky red patches.
“Luke feels like the odd one out because of his condition, and now he's got a best friend to match,” the teen’s mom said. “I think Roo will reduce Luke’s stress and that should help his skin.”
The animal loving family also have a Jack Russell, two cats and two supersize French Lop rabbits at home.
For now, at just eight weeks old, Roo is too young to go outside and meet the rabbits.
Lauren said when the pup finally goes out to play it will be “quite a sight” because the rabbits will “dwarf” the young pup.
After her injections, Roo’s first outing will be for a charity event at Lauren’s workplace.
“She will probably be the star attraction,” Lauren, a care worker, said. "Who would be able to walk by and resist her?”
This story was originally published by SWNS.