Meet Claire - A poor puppy who has had a rough start to her life, but things are starting to look up thanks to "Angels of Fur" and Oriskany Central Schools.

Claire is a 4-month-old havanese puppy who was taken from an Amish puppy mill and brought to "Angels of Fur" - A not-for-profit dog rescue in Rome. Claire was not only fighting starvation (weighing only 2.8 pounds), but she also has some major problems with her legs - Her legs are rotated at the hips at 90-degrees, they're out of socket, and she is peg legged. Some serious problems for a poor puppy who is only 4-months-old.

With all these issues, Melissa Jones at "Angels of Fur" has been looking into getting a wheelchair for Claire to help her get around and improve her quality of life. Unfortunately, Claire is so small and still growing, one wheelchair isn't going to work. She's going to need three different chairs.

The Oriskany Central Schools' technology teacher Chris Lallier and his students are going above and beyond to help Claire - They have offered to design and build a wheelchair for the puppy. Using the school's 3D printer they're going to engineer a lightweight, custom chair for the dog.

Claire After a Little Grooming
Photo Credit: Melissa Jones
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Last week, Claire stopped by the technology class to meet the students and test out some of the chair designs.

Claire Testing Out the 'Claire Chair'
Photo Credit: Chris Lallier - Oriskany Central Schools' Technology Teacher
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The technology teacher, Mr. Chris Lallier says, "They were able to test some of the prototypes with Claire, find flaws, and quickly correct them."

Students Testing Out the 'Claire Chair'
Photo Credit: Chris Lallier - Oriskany Central Schools' Technology Teacher
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"...after the students work their way through the process of finding the best design for Claire, they well be tasked with 3D printing a more permanent wheelchair."

Computer Concept of 'Claire Chair'
Photo Credit: Christopher Lallier (Oriskany Central Schools' Technology Teacher)
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Soon Claire will have her own custom-built chair, thanks to Lallier and his students at Oriskany Central Schools. Not only are the students enthusiastic about this project, they're also spending extra time and doing everything they can to get this wheelchair designed and ready to go for Claire.

Although Claire has had a rough start to her life, she is still a happy-go-lucky puppy. She's so full of life and still manages to get around (even with her leg problems). Check out the video below - See her tail wagging and how fast she moves:

Even with all this amazing help, Claire is still in-need. Claire will be heading to Upstate Veterinary Specialties in Latham for more X-rays, a final diagnosis and plans for treatment. A Go Fund Me page has been set up to help pay for hospital bills, specialists, X-rays, and such. You can reach the Go Fund Me page here.

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