MOLLY THE AMAZING PONY

Meet Molly. She's a gray speckled pony who was abandoned by her owners when Katrina hit southern Louisiana, USA . 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 right front leg became infected and her vet went to LSU for help. But LSU was overwhelmed, and this pony was a welfare case. You know how that goes.

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.

"This was the right horse and the right owner," Moore insists.
Molly happened to be a one-in-a-million patient. She's tough as nails, but sweet, and she was willing to cope with pain. She made it obvious she understood (that) she was in trouble. The other important factor, according to Moore , is having a truly committed and compliant owner who is dedicated to providing the daily care required over the lifetime of the horse.

Molly's story turns into a parable for life in post-Katrina Louisiana . The little pony gained weight, her mane 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, 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."
" She's not back to normal," Barca concluded, "but she's going to be better. To me, she could be a symbol for New Orleans itself."
looked up some of the info.....added some links.....

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!

looked up some of the info.....added some links.....
http://www.hoofcare.com/mollythepony.html

http://www.wildhorserescue.org/molly.htm

The danger of leaving snack bags open and accessible by our pets while away from home. A story from a beloved fur babies mom. Let her tragedy save others.

Please read my story - this may save your dog's life.

Last Thursday, my husband and I went to pick up our daughter from daycare, get gas, and get our car washed. We were gone for maybe 30 minutes. When we came back, we found our sweet, beloved 3 year old dog, Chilly, dead in our bedroom. She, unfortunately, died from getting her head stuck in a family size bag of chips that I had left on our living room table. She suffocated!!! What a horrible way to die. I have been told not to feel guilty over this but I can't stop thinking that if I had known a bag of chips could kill my 100 lb, sweet, innocent dog - I would have NEVER, EVER left that bag on the table or anywhere she could get to it, for that matter. I have also been told that this was a "freak accident" - but it's NOT....I have looked on the internet and this has happened more than you think. This was PREVENTABLE!!! I am sick with guilt; she depended on me to protect her and I failed. This email if part of my healing process. If I know that I can save ONE dog's life by getting this message out, then Chilly's tragic death had meaning. She will be deeply missed.

Please pass this along through whatever source you choose - maybe if I had read a posting like this, Chilly would still be chasing squirrels.

Thank you for reading.
Amy

Dog's Day Out Pet Festival
Octember 25, 2008
City: Concord, NC
Produced by: City of Concord
Phone: 704-920-5615
Email: littlefd@ci.concord.nc.us

2008 Harris Teeter/Purina® Bark in the Park
Saturday, April 26, 2008
William R. Davie Park
4635 Pineville-Matthews Road

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The following list contains plants that have not been reported as having systemic effects on animals, or as having intense effects on the gastrointestinal tract. Note that any plant material ingested by an animal (as when dogs and cats ingest yard grass) may produce symptoms including vomiting, depression, or diarrhea. These symptoms are generally mild and self-limiting and often do not require any treatment.

Pet Peoples Place
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