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Meet Molly.
She's a grey speckled pony who was abandoned by her owners when
Hurricane Katrina hit southern Louisiana. She spent weeks on her own
before finally being rescued and taken to a farm where abandoned
animals were stockpiled.
While there, she was attacked by a pit bull terrier and almost died.
Her gnawed front leg became infected, and her vet went to LSU for
help, but LSU was overwhelmed, and this pony was a welfare case.
But after surgeon Rustin Moore met Molly, he changed his mind.
He saw how the pony was careful to lie down on different sides so
she didn't seem to get sores, and how she allowed people to handle her.
She protected her injured leg. She constantly shifted her weight and
didn't overload her good leg. She was a smart pony with a serious
survival ethic. Moore agreed to remove her leg below the knee, and
a temporary artificial limb was built. Molly walked out of the clinic and
her story really begins there.
Molly's story turns into a parable for life in post-Katrina Louisiana .
The little pony gained weight, and her mane finally felt a comb.
A human prosthesis designer built her a leg.
The prosthetic has given Molly a whole new life, Allison Barca DVM,
Molly's regular vet, reports.
And she asks for it. She will put her little limb out, and come to you
and let you know that she wants you to put it on. Sometimes she wants
you to take it off too. And sometimes, Molly gets away from Barca.
'It can be pretty bad when you can't catch a three-legged horse,'
she laughs.
Most important of all, Molly has a job now. Kay, the rescue farm owner,
started taking Molly to shelters, hospitals, nursing homes,
and rehabilitation centers. Anywhere she thought that people needed hope.
Wherever Molly went, she showed people her pluck. She inspired people,
and she had a good time doing it.
'It's obvious to me that Molly had a bigger role to play in life, Moore said.
'She survived the hurricane, she survived a horrible injury, and now she
is giving hope to others.' Barca concluded, 'she's not back to normal,
but she's going to be better. To me, she could be a symbol for New Orleans
itself.'
This is Molly's most recent prosthesis. The bottom photo shows
the ground surface that she stands on, which has a smiley face
embossed in it. Wherever Molly goes, she leaves a smiley hoof
print behind.
She's a grey speckled pony who was abandoned by her owners when
Hurricane Katrina hit southern Louisiana. She spent weeks on her own
before finally being rescued and taken to a farm where abandoned
animals were stockpiled.
While there, she was attacked by a pit bull terrier and almost died.
Her gnawed front leg became infected, and her vet went to LSU for
help, but LSU was overwhelmed, and this pony was a welfare case.
But after surgeon Rustin Moore met Molly, he changed his mind.
He saw how the pony was careful to lie down on different sides so
she didn't seem to get sores, and how she allowed people to handle her.
She protected her injured leg. She constantly shifted her weight and
didn't overload her good leg. She was a smart pony with a serious
survival ethic. Moore agreed to remove her leg below the knee, and
a temporary artificial limb was built. Molly walked out of the clinic and
her story really begins there.
Molly's story turns into a parable for life in post-Katrina Louisiana .
The little pony gained weight, and her mane finally felt a comb.
A human prosthesis designer built her a leg.
The prosthetic has given Molly a whole new life, Allison Barca DVM,
Molly's regular vet, reports.
And she asks for it. She will put her little limb out, and come to you
and let you know that she wants you to put it on. Sometimes she wants
you to take it off too. And sometimes, Molly gets away from Barca.
'It can be pretty bad when you can't catch a three-legged horse,'
she laughs.
Most important of all, Molly has a job now. Kay, the rescue farm owner,
started taking Molly to shelters, hospitals, nursing homes,
and rehabilitation centers. Anywhere she thought that people needed hope.
Wherever Molly went, she showed people her pluck. She inspired people,
and she had a good time doing it.
'It's obvious to me that Molly had a bigger role to play in life, Moore said.
'She survived the hurricane, she survived a horrible injury, and now she
is giving hope to others.' Barca concluded, 'she's not back to normal,
but she's going to be better. To me, she could be a symbol for New Orleans
itself.'
This is Molly's most recent prosthesis. The bottom photo shows
the ground surface that she stands on, which has a smiley face
embossed in it. Wherever Molly goes, she leaves a smiley hoof
print behind.
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