Operation to remove six-legged dog's extra limbs ends in success

  • 22/01/2024
Ariel the six-legged dog
Ariel the six-legged dog Photo credit: Facebook

Ariel the six-legged dog hit the headlines after being abandoned in a supermarket car park in Bristol last year. 

The pup was rescued and soon caught global attention after Greenacre Rescue shared her story on their Facebook page.

Named after Disney's Little Mermaid as her partially-fused extra back legs resembled a mermaid's tail, about £15,000 (NZ$31,066) was raised by well-wishers all over the world, enabling her to have a life-changing operation to remove her extra limbs last week.

Named after the Little mermaid: Ariel's legs were fused like a mermaid tail.
Named after the Little mermaid: Ariel's legs were fused like a mermaid tail. Photo credit: Facebook

Surgeon Aaron Lutchman managed to save all four of her working legs despite fears one might've needed amputating in the procedure.  

The Greenacre Rescue team has continued to share her recovery online, stating that she has already bounced back to her bubbly energetic self. 

Mikey Lawlor is the founder and manager of Greenacres Rescue, and said that when they found Ariel, she was alone, skinny and in a state of distress.  

He said her shift into a loveable and friendly dog has been a joy to watch with the rest of the world.  

"The response we've had to Ariel's story so far, including calls and emails from as far away as New York and Australia, has been incredible - so I've no doubt she'll be snapped up," he told the BBC.  

Lawlor said there were two procedures that lasted around two hours, but both were successful.  

He said the next day she was back to eating, drinking and her usual sweet self. 

"Now we just need to keep our fingers crossed she doesn't get any infections, but she really is in the best hands." 

He said she is set to undergo several weeks of physiotherapy with her foster family and then the process of finding her forever home will begin.