Rescue Dog With Birth Defect 'Hardly Able To Walk' Overlooked by Adopters

A rescue dog who was found abandoned in a field with severely deformed legs is struggling to find a new forever home.

Elise Dunweber told Newsweek that Ace the dog "was hardly able to walk with his legs curled around in front of him" when he first arrived at the Asociación de Amigos de Animales Abandonados or "Triple A" shelter in Marbella, in southern Spain.

Dunweber, who is the president of the shelter, said Ace was brought to the shelter by the local health authority back in May 2022 with "very deformed legs."

She said they suspect his misshapen legs were the result of a "birth defect" rather than any abuse. Regardless of the cause, their condition made it almost impossible for Ace to lead a normal life.

The shelter was determined to help though so organized for Ace to undergo surgery at a specialist traumatology hospital. According to Dunweber, Ace underwent "multiple surgeries" that proved complicated and required a lengthy recovery process.

Yet, by the end of it, something amazing happened. "He can now walk and even run reasonably well," Dunweber said. She said he's also settled in well at the animal rescue. "Ace enjoys shelter life and time with our volunteers."

Despite how far he has come and how well he has adjusted to his circumstances, Ace has yet to generate much interest from any potential adopters. "Sadly no one has yet come forward to offer Ace a forever home," Dunweber said.

Shelter dogs have a small window of time to make an impression on a prospective owner. A 2014 study published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science examining interactions between shelter pets and potential adoptees concluded that most prospective pet owners interact with just one dog per visit and that these interactions last an average of just 8 minutes.

That's not nearly enough time for dogs like Ace, who have already gone through so much just to get this far.

Dunweber sometimes fears that Ace's imperfections might be putting some prospective owners off. "Perhaps they are put off by his peculiar legs or underbite," she said.

She knows there's a dog who has shown incredible bravery in the face of intolerable pain and cruelty. "Ace is a very sweet dog with a lovely nature," Dunweber said. "He loves to play with other dogs but lives in a solo kennel as he can get over excited especially with his improved mobility!"

Ace may not be the dog for everyone but Dunweber is convinced the perfect home and the perfect owner is out there somewhere waiting to find him. "Ace would be best suited in an understanding home," she said. "He is not a regular dog but his needs are the same as any other: exercise, stimulation, love and care."

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