Meet Tumbles: 2-legged puppy gets 3-D printed wheelchair

ByTim Rearden KABC logo
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Meet Tumbles: 2-legged puppy gets 3-D printed wheelchair
Tumbles, a puppy born without his front legs, is rolling into a new life with the help of a new 3-D printed wheelchair.

ATHENS, Ohio -- A puppy born without his front legs is rolling into a new life with the help of a new 3-D printed wheelchair.

Tumbles was rescued from the cold when he was just 2-weeks-old, according to Friends of the Shelter Dogs in Athens, Ohio.

The little guy has been able to adapt and scoot across the floor using his nose and back legs, but a veterinarian recommended he be fitted for a cart so he can build muscle in his back legs more naturally.

That's where the Ohio University Innovation Center stepped in to help by building Tumbles a two-wheeled cart using a 3-D printer. The cart took about 14 hours to print.

Tumbles, a 2-legged puppy, gets a 3-D printed wheelchair with help from the Ohio University Innovation Center.

Friends of the Shelter Dogs said Tumbles was checked at the veterinarian and was perfectly healthy, weighing in at 1.5 pounds.

Tumbles was pretty tired after his first cart fitting, and Friends of the Shelter Dogs said more adjustments will have to be made to his cart because of his small size.

Tumbles isn't quite ready for adoption, but you can learn how to help Friends of the Shelter Dogs here.