New York students build ‘chariot’ for abused puppy

ORISKANY , Ala., Nov. 30 (UPI) — A group of high school students in New York worked together to craft a special wheelchair for a disabled puppy.

Angels of Fur puppy mill shared a photo of Claire, the 2.8-pound Havanese, and her chariot constructed by students at Oriskany High School.

“She was born with no femoral heads at the top of her legs where her hips go,” Melissa Jones of Angels of Fur told WKTV of the dog who came to the mill in poor condition. “Absolutely deplorable condition. She literally looked like a overused mop, should I say? She was completely matted from head to toe.”

Oriskany High School teacher Chris Lallier heard about the disabled and abandoned puppy and encouraged her students to devise a way to help the dog walk.

“She’s an adorable dog,” Lallier told Syracuse.com. “And the kids fell in love with her. So it wasn’t a tough sell at all for them to want to work on this project.”

The students spent hours after school constructing multiple different 3D-printed wheelchair models before landing on the final design they dubbed the “Claire chariot.”

“The students in these classes are typically very engaged, but I’ve never seen the level of engagement when I made the announcement about Claire and her situtation. They were all just kind of laser focused,” Lallier said.

The final device was made of ABS plastic and has made a “world of difference” in Claire’s mobility, but she may still have to have one of her legs amputated in addition to therapy sessions and potentially a new wheelchair.

“Claire will meet with the Dr. of Physical Therapy in Latham Wednesday to prescribe a protocol for Claire’s appointments locally,” Angels of Fur said. “Funding is still needed for her therapy and all of our other cases.”