Two-Legged Shelter Puppy Gets Set Of 3-D Printed Wheels

A two-legged shelter puppy is back on his feet thanks to scientists in Ohio.

Tumbles, who was born without his front legs, is now rolling around with help from a 3-D printed wheelchair created by the Ohio University Innovation Center. 

The pup was rescued at 2 weeks old and taken to Friends of the Shelter Dogs in Athens, Ohio. Karen Pilcher serves as the organization's rescue coordinator and Tumble's foster mother. She told ABC News that Tumbles was the runt of three and had trouble nursing.

"He was getting pushed out by the others," Pilcher said. "We thought he wouldn't make it." 

The retired nurse said Tumbles was born in early Oct. weighing one-and-a-half pounds and was bottle-fed for a week. After Tumbles was rescued by a FOSD board member, a volunteer posted about him on Facebook. Pilcher said a friend of FOSD and her husband wanted to help.

"[They] came up with the design and reached out to the Ohio University Innovation Center," Pilcher said.

Tumbles, who is believed to be a terrier mix, had his first fitting with the prototype wheelchair last Tuesday.

Joe Jollick, lab director of the Innovation Center, told ABC News he is thrilled with the results.

"Everyone is real enthusiastic," Jollick said. "Our main goal [was] to get him off the ground. The second thing is to get him used to it."

Jollick said the 3-D printer was acquired by the university about two years ago. Once he received the design, the wheelchair took 14 hours to print. The lab director said he is happy word is getting out about the 3-D printer.

"This is just letting people know that it can be used for just about anything," Jollick said.