This is the heartwarming moment a tiny goat that’s legs were CHEWED OFF by an angry dog ran for the first time thanks to new prosthetic legs.
Miracle, a nine-month-old pygmy goat, lost her front legs to the knee when her farmer’s great pyrenees chewed them off as they stuck out of her mother during birth.
Sarah Austin, 41, a veterinary assistant from St Johnsville, New York, was called to the gruesome scene by the distressed farmer to help deliver the mutilated kid, who was stuck in her mother’s birth canal.
Sad: Sarah Austin, a veterinary assistant from New York, rescued the goat after her legs got chewed off by a dog when she was first born
Survivor: Miracle is a nine-month-old pygmy goat who lost her front legs at birth
Distressing: Her legs were sticking out at birth when the dog chewed them off. She was rushed to the vet where her wounds were sutured and dressed
Sarah said the sight of Miracle’s chewed off legs was nauseating but she persevered and managed to deliver the kid naturally on September 1.
Newborn Miracle was surrendered by the farmer, and Sarah rushed the goat to a local vet where her serious wounds were sutured and dressed.
Just one week later, the tiny goat underwent orthopedic surgery in Cornell University’s Nemo Farm Animal Hospital, where her stumps were shaved to allow her to be fitted with prosthetics.
Miracle has been getting around in her nifty wheelchair ever since but attempts to fit practical prosthetics had been unsuccessful due to her short stumps.
After three attempts, Miracle’s medical team finally managed to fit prosthetics that worked for her last weekend.
The moment Miracle ran for the first time was captured on camera by animal lover Sarah last Sunday.
Just a baby: One week after Miracle was born, she went to the hospital to undergo surgery that would shave her stumps so she could eventually be fit with prosthetics
Active: The goat was given a nifty wheelchair to travel around without needing her front legs
Fighter: The medical team tried three separate times to fit the goat with prosthetic legs
The damage: Miracle never experienced walking because she lost her legs at birth
Sarah said: ‘It was really gruesome because the goat went into labor overnight and as the kid was being born the farmer’s dog had actually chewed off her front leg bones as they were sticking out of her mother.
‘They were completely chewed off when I arrived. It was horrible. It turned my stomach.
‘I did an internal to reposition the kid and that’s when I realized she was still alive. I worried about how much pain she must be in.
‘She eventually was born naturally and the traumatized farmer surrendered her into my care.
‘Miracle’s front legs were completely chewed off to the knee but luckily they weren’t bleeding too much.
‘She was rushed to the local vet and her wounds were cleaned up. She had her first orthopedic surgery one week later in Cornell.
‘During this surgery they smoothed out what was left of her joint so that she would be a suitable candidate for prosthetics.
‘About two months ago she got her first set but they sadly didn’t work because her stumps were too small.
‘She just got her third set this past Sunday and from the second she got them on she was running around.
‘Oh my God, it was overwhelming. I almost cried. It was amazing to see her running around like a normal little goat for the first time.’
So sweet: The goat had a hard beginning to her life, but eventually the vets were able to find prosthetic legs that worked for her
Friends: Miracle lives with 30 other goats who were rescued by Sarah’s animal organization
On the go: Sarah said it brought tears to her eyes after Miracle was able to walk on her own
Miracle is now living it up with 30 other goats rescued by Sarah’s animal organization, Sarah’s Birds of Prey, which she founded with husband Ryan Austin, 38.
Sarah said: ‘We take care of more than 30 rescue goats on our farm but Miracle particularly loves Kimber, a Nigeran Dwarf Goat who has a crooked neck.
‘She loves hanging out with the other pygmy goats too, Marshall and Wee One.
‘It’s been so lovely to see her act like a normal goat.’
Despite everything Miracle has been through, Sarah said she is a very perky kid.
Sarah said: ‘Miracle is the sweetest, most gentle goat. She’s so silly and goofy and she is never unhappy.
‘She loves life despite what she’s been through which is so great.’