After Molly’s story made it onto UTube, several friends emailed me the link.  Unfortunately, I cannot get the video to run here in Rwanda.  The little icon on my computer for internet signal never gets above 48 Mbps!

I’ve read about the pony online, however, and it’s a great vet story: Molly the pony receives a prosthetic leg and becomes a symbol of hope post-Katrina.  

http://www.lsu.edu/highlights/2006/10/molly.html http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/molly.asp http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2008/05/31/vo.la.three.legged.pony.wwl

Molly's story has universal appeal.  As vet stories go, it’s unique in some ways but not in others.  There are elements of it in three of the stories in our new book:

The Katrina Dolphins also lost their homes to the hurricane, and they, too, were saved by dedicated caretakers and vets.  The young giraffe in Amali’s Example needed a brace in order to walk normally.  The giraffe’s vet got help from human prosthetist who’d never imagined treating an animal but who soon became an essential member of the team, refining and improving the prosthetic over time.  In my own story, The Rhino with Glue-On Shoes, the rhino’s toughness and steady attitude, motivated me to push for a better way to treat him. 

Reading Molly's story, I was struck by the powerful relationship between the pony and Dr. Barca, her regular vet.   Teaching hospitals accept most of their cases from referring veterinarians, and Dr. Barca made things happen for Molly.  She correctly judged the pony and owner to be a special combination and went all out to get them expert help.   The equine surgeon undoubtedly picked up on her dedication, as did the prosthetist who agreed to make the artificial limb. 

When I meet someone new and they ask about my job, their response is often “Wow, you’re so lucky, working with animals all day, instead of with people.”  I often find myself replying, “Actually, we do work with people as well as animal—often an entire team of experts.”