German Shepherd Named Quasimodo Living With Rare Spinal Condition
— -- Quasimodo, a sweet German shepherd with a rare spinal condition, is looking for a forever home.
"Quasimodo has nothing wrong with him. He's just a little different than 'normal' dogs," said Sara Anderson of Secondhand Hounds animal rescue in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. "His body is compressed because of his condition [short spine syndrome], so all of his organs are crammed in his belly."
Anderson, 31, told ABC News that she first heard about Quasi through a shelter contact in Kentucky.
"His personality is amazing," she said. "He is one of the sweetest, most loving dogs, once he trusts you. He has a great 'spunk' about him."
Anderson, who's a "sucker for special needs dogs," said Quasi's temporary foster family explained the pup was named after the character Quasimodo--the protagonist from the film "The Hunchback of Notre Dame."
"The Quasi of Secondhand Hounds is our hero because he is the definition of the qualities we all admire in our dogs," the foster parent said. "Born different, but never knowing any other way, he seeks to please the people who have shown him kind hands and warm hearts. He may not be as pretty as many dogs on the outside, but his heart and soul shine through and make him one of God’s most beautiful creatures."
Anderson said that Quasi will be seeing a specialist today to find out more about his spinal condition that causes him to appear hunched.
Quasi now has his own Facebook page -- "Quasi the Great" -- with 1,100 fans and counting.
"I hope to bring awareness to animals in shelters and rescues," Anderson said. "I want to bring awareness to special needs pets. Just because they're not 'normal' doesn't mean that they're not special...that they're not worth it. Special needs just mean that they're a special pet."
