When Jordan Rosenfeld, a biomedical engineer student at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), met Cleo the rescue dog, it was love at first sight. Cleo only had three legs, but she never let that hold her back. The two-year-old rescue dog still loved to run around and play, but walking at a casual pace was a struggle. So, after adopting her, Rosenfeld promised to make her life better.
Not only did the engineer offer her a warm and welcoming home, but he also came up with a project. He decided to create a custom prosthetic leg for his pup. It’s still a work in progress, but his efforts show how much he loves her.
Cleo’s Second Chance
A rescuer found Cleo on the side of the road after a horrific car accident. Someone had hit the pup with their vehicle and drove off, leaving her to suffer alone. She needed severe medical attention, including surgery that removed one of her front legs.
But Cleo didn’t want anyone to feel sorry for her. Despite everything she’s been through, she has such a positive attitude. When Rosenfeld saw an ad for her at a rescue, he knew it was meant to be. Not only did he love her personality, but he believed he could eventually make walking easier for her.
“I knew I was coming to school to be a biomedical engineer, and two and two kind of clicked and I kind of figured out, you know what, she’s the one for me. I need to make her a leg,” Rosenfeld said.
Rosenfeld adopted Cleo while he was in his home state of New Jersey. Then, he brought her with him to his college in Massachusetts.
A New Leg in the Making
Not long after Cleo’s adoption, Rosenfeld got to work on her prosthetic leg. He spends time at home and at the school’s 3D printing lab to complete the project. Yet, the process has taken a lot of trial and error. Rosenfeld isn’t giving up any time soon.
“We’re working on, I would say, the third mockup of Cleo’s leg that can hopefully withstand her weight, because the previous ones failed,” Rosenfeld said.
Cleo can get around just fine on three legs, but a prosthetic would make some things much easier. Rosenfeld said that anything at a slower pace is hard for the pup, but running is a breeze.
Rosenfeld hopes Cleo’s artificial leg will be complete sometime early next year. For now, he’ll just keep giving her as much love as possible while he works on the project.
H/T: nbcboston.com
Featured Image: screenshot, nbcboston.com
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