Chris P. Bacon - Though his name is a little cheeky, this tiny piglet is all heart. When this brave little Floridian pig was born with a defect that rendered his back legs immobile, local veterinarian Dr. Len Lucero found inspiration in the popular children's building set, K'nex. Using the set's gears and connecting pieces, Dr. Lucero fashioned a diminutive wheelchair that, once affixed to Chris' body with soft vet wrap, allowed Chris to move freely.
Winter - as a baby, this bottlenose dolphin had an unfortunate encounter with a crab trap, leaving her tangled tail mutilated and her spine twisted from needing to compensate during swimming. Wildlife volunteers were alerted to her plight by a fisherman, and Winter was brought to a nearby aquarium, where workers stayed with her around the clock to ensure she survived the night. Later, a pair of prosthetists decided to make Winter a new prosthetic tail to help her live and move more naturally - the successful procedure not only spawned a movie, but produced a new type of cushioning gel that is being used for human prosthetic pieces as well.
Mr. Stubbs - Phoenix, Arizona is home to this unusual and resilient alligator. When found by fish and wildlife officers hitching a ride in the back of a truck, his lack of a tail - an important appendage used for swimming and hunting in the wild - was immediately apparent. X-rays revealed that it was likely bitten off by a fellow alligator, and a decision was made to craft a replacement. A new one was constructed of rubber, and this once-detailed gator is learning how to swim and move with his new tail, much to the delight of his rescuers.
The technology and techniques developed through assisting these creatures have helped human prosthetic technicians create better and more versatile adaptions for humans. The future holds exciting advances in the field of prosthetics, and recipients - both animal and human - wait anxiously to discover them.
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