Merlin, an Australian Shepherd, may look different than any dog you've ever seen or may see again. It's because of the outpouring of one local neighborhood that he's alive today to run and play, despite doing so in a different way than his other canine friends.
With his prosthetic leg and foot and his own custom wheelchair, he's been given the name "Robodog" by passersby or dog parents at the local dog park. However, Merlin is far from robotic and the spark in him was nearly extinguished when he was hit by a car when just a pup.
His owner, Heather Craig, had just happened to go into a feed and seed store in rural Lafayette, Ga., when she heard Merlin's pained howls.
"Are you going to take him to the vet?" Craig asked the store owner, Merlin's first owner.
"Nah, I'll just take him out back and shoot him," he responded.
"His exact response was he had no use for a three-legged dog," Craig told Patch.
Craig was heartbroken. She couldn't bear to leave Merlin, so she took him with her. A veterinarian initially told her that Merlin would recover fine with just a cast.
However, when the cast was removed, so was much of Merlin's skin and tissue. He would have to have the leg amputated. He also was having trouble with his hips and would need hip surgery.
Craig didn't know how to pay for her new furry family member's medical expenses, so she turned to her Medlock Park neighbors. She asked them to donate items for a large yard sale to raise money.
"A lot of people donated to the yard sale," Craig said.
The donations exceeded her expectations and Craig was moved that so many people, even those she'd never met, would help Merlin.
"Many didn't even buy anything. They just donated money. I was surprised. You know, these days it's hard to get donations for anything."
She said Merlin is a happy dog and teaches her something new all the time.
"He came from a bad background, and now, he has a much better life," Craig said, adding that she is grateful for all the people who helped Merlin live a little longer and a little better.
Two years later, Merlin is still able to move around freely, although his hips are beginning to bother him again. He will always have to use his wheelchair and will likely need pain medication for the rest of his life.
Merlin will be 4 in November, and Craig is hoping that within the next couple of months, Merlin will be certified as a therapy dog for children who have lost limbs.
"He loves children," Craig said, adding that he's soothe her nerves often and helped her learn to slow down a little.
"He's taught me patience. Before I was always 'go, go, go,' but he can't 'go, go, go.'"
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