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By Pandora Dewan
Senior Science Reporter
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A puppy with six legs has been rescued after being abandoned in a car park in Pembrokeshire, Wales. The 11-week-old spaniel was discovered on September 27 outside a retail store.
After being handed in to a local veterinary practice, the puppy was sent to Greenacres Rescue Service. They arranged for her to stay at a foster home while she recovers from the ordeal.
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"We have no idea why she would be born with a defect," Mikey, a spokesperson for Greenacres Rescue, told Newsweek. "Never seen this before."
Her unusual appearance inspired the rescue team to call the dog Ariel. "The extra legs look like a tail," Mikey said. "Ariel the Little Mermaid."
Cases like this are very rare, but not unheard of. In 2021, a German shepherd named Raga was brought to a veterinary practice in Indiana with two extra legs that were partly joined, as well as an extra bladder, ureter, colon, pelvis and an extra set of genitals. That same year, a six-legged puppy named Skipper was born in Oklahoma.
Additional limbs like this can be a result of a genetic mutation, but more commonly it is caused during embryonic development. In the womb, twin embryos can occasionally merge to form a single individual. In rare cases, this merge can be incomplete, resulting in conjoined twins. So perhaps Ariel's extra set of back legs could have belonged to her merged twin.
Once Ariel recovers from the ordeal, her vets plan to remove these extra limbs. "The extra appendages do not impede her ability to move, although because they are on her pelvis they will cause damage over time," Mikey said. "They will be removed we just need to work out when is best for such a young dog [...] There is a possibility she may lose one of her own legs due to the structure of the additional limbs and pelvis, but time will tell."
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The rescue center has been sharing updates of the young dog on its Facebook page with thousands of people showing their support for her recovery. However, the rescue center is still looking for donations to support this young dog's treatment.
"For now, we can relax and just let her be a pup, she has a long road of surgery and recovery ahead but we are confident we can 'get her right' and that's all that matters," the animal shelter said in a Facebook post.
You can donate to the shelter here.
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