Tiny Yorkie With A 'Floating Head' Needs A Home: MSPCA

The staff at MSPCA-Angell have been caring for a tiny four-legged Yorkie since he arrived at the shelter in August who was barely able to walk, and with a worrisome leftward tilt to his head.

X-rays confirmed Scrappy was born with a congenital deformity marked by missing bone where his spine connects to his head, said an announcement from the MSPCA. Since birth, Scrappy made do with these deformities but when he tumbled down the stairs before he was brought to us, he severely damaged his nervous system. That made walking, running and playing very difficult for him.

Scrappy's family was unable to meet his evolving needs and opted to surrender him to the MPSCA.

"Our best option was to fit Scrappy with an immobilizing head and neck brace, which he wore nonstop for two months to allow scar tissue to form," said Dr. Jennifer Michaels of Angell Animal Medical Center's neurology team, in a statement. "This scar tissue established a more secure connection between the two bones of his spine and significantly reduced his neurological symptoms."

Andrea Bessler, a veterinary technician at the MSPCA's Boston adoption center, has been fostering Scrappy since he first arrived on Aug. 23 ."He absolutely lives up to his name," said Bessler in a statement. "Now that the brace is off for good, and he's literally dancing for joy!"

Bessler says that Scrappy is tireless and so friendly: "the kind of dog who is everyone's best friend. All he wants is to be with me: to be held, petted and loved. He's going to make a fantastic pet for one lucky individual or family."

Bessler and her colleague, adoption center manager Alyssa Krieger, are hopeful that as the Holiday spirit sweeps through the region a very special someone will open their home to Scrappy, said the announcement from the MSPCA.

"He needs the kind of home where he can be the center of attention," said Krieger in a statement. "He's still a bit unsteady on his feet so we're hoping someone makes Scrappy the center of their world-because we know that person will quickly become the center of his world."

Interested adopters can visit Scrappy during open hours at the MSPCA's adoption center or email adoption@mspca.org with questions.

Photos and information via MSPCA