Rescue Dog with Two Legs Learns to Move with 'No Limitations,' Now She Needs a Home (Exclusive)

Cola lost her two back legs early in life, so she learned to do everything with her two front paws at a young age.

"She truly has no limitations. She can run around, use stairs, you name it. Frolicking in the snow is her favorite! She loves to catch snowflakes with her nose! Cola is a strong little girl who embodies resilience and adaptability," Rachel, the cofounder of Twenty Paws Rescue, tells PEOPLE.

The 3-year-old dog arrived at the New York City-based rescue in March 2023 and is still waiting for a home over a year later. Unfortunately, Cola's wait for a forever family is far longer than 17 months. The dog was first rescued in India by Kanan Animal Welfare — a rescue partner of Twenty Paws — in 2020 and stayed at an Indian shelter awaiting adoption for years.

"Cola's waited for a loving home her entire life. Adoption prospects from the shelter in India were non-existent. So, we stepped in to help provide her with a foster home, additional medical care, and find that miracle forever home," Rachel says about how Cola ended up in the U.S.

Twenty Paws is shocked that the 25-pound pup has yet to find her match, especially when she has such a contagiously enthusiastic personality. The N.Y.C. rescue has put this energy on display on Instagram, posting videos of Cola walking, playing, and accepting pets.

"She does not need to be expressed, can handle stairs, runs around… she's perfect," the rescue captioned a July 29 video of the dog.

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Cola hasn't always been as playful as she appears; it took the pooch time to "emerge from her shell" after arriving in the U.S.

"When Cola arrived with TPR, she was very shy and fearful. Understandably, the transition from shelter life in India to a foster home abroad would be a tremendous adjustment for any dog. Eventually, Cola began to emerge from her shell, and she was ready to meet the rest of the pack in her foster home. Now, she plays in the yard and snuggles at night," Rachel says.

Today, Cola is looking to finally find that forever home where she can show off her hard-fought "strong and resilient" personality. According to Twenty Paws, an ideal home for Cola would include "patient and loving" pet parents.

After hearing Cola's story, Royal Canin contacted Twenty Paws to provide an incentive for the dog's future adopters. Whoever adopts Cola will receive a new best friend and a year's supply of Royal Canin dog food provided by the brand.

"Initially, Cola is slow to warm up to new people. However, once comfortable, she is sweet, affectionate, loyal, and loving. She loves to play and enjoys the outdoors. Her foster home is very active, and she keeps up effortlessly," Rachel says, adding that Cola is a "unique girl from an even more unique past. She will flourish best with a family that is understanding of her past and will help her live life with the utmost freedom, spirit, and love."

Part of what makes Cola unique is her limb differences. Cola's hind legs were amputated when she was a puppy, so her body adjusted as she grew, allowing her to develop her own way of walking.

While Cola's approach to getting around doesn't hold her back "in the slightest," it has led to some discomfort.

"She is as swift and agile as they come, but some of her physical compromises to accommodate her different appearance came at a cost. Once in our care, we noticed she did have chronic pain and tightness. She was evaluated at two high-level programs, and we continue to work with her to ease any difficulties she encounters," Rachel explains.

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Twenty Paws is also working to get Cola a mobility device that works for her. When the rescue team put Cola in a pet wheelchair provided by The Animal Medical Center in Manhattan, she "hated" the chair.

"Although it was high quality and adjusted for her body angles, something didn't align," Rachel says of what happened with the wheelchair.

Further imaging of Cola's back body revealed "that her back has unique fusions prohibiting chair use. Using the chair was very uncomfortable," according to Rachel.

To work around this issue and give Cola the option of more mobility, Twenty Paws has tried other mobility devices, including a skateboard. The rescue is now collaborating with 3DPets and Joey's Paws to create a custom 3D-printed wheelchair for Cola.

"They are determined they can get her something that will be comfortable for her fusion," Rachel says of the partnership.

While Cola waits to try her new mobility device, she remains unbothered by getting around on two legs. To manage her aches and tightness, she takes joint and muscle supplements and receives regular laser treatment sessions.

What this pup wants more than a new wheelchair is a forever home where she can enchant a welcoming family with her winning attitude.

Visit Twenty Paws' website to apply to adopt Cola and learn more about the rescue's life-saving work.