His future was looking grim until veterinary surgeon Christie Tomlinson, who was looking for a playmate for her golden retriever, saw him at a Colorado rescue centre. She said: ‘I’ve always had a soft spot for animals with problems. I knew I had the skills and knowledge to be able to take care of him properly. I took him to work with me every day and was able to x-ray his legs regularly to see how they were developing.’
Then Christie heard about a company called Orthopets in Denver, Colorado. Founded by husband and wife team Martin and Amy Kaufmann, Orthopets began when Martin saw that his experience in creating human orthotic devices could be adapted for animals.
‘I felt it was barbaric that in the 20th century we were still amputating dogs’ legs,’ said Martin, who carried out the operation free of charge.
‘I thought we should be using the technology used for humans on our pets. An animal is a much better patient than a human. They have drive, determination and they just won’t quit.
They don’t feel sorry for themselves.’
