Joey is a “cool little dog” who gets around just fine on only two legs, says Doug Smith, supervisor of the California shelter that took the Chihuahua in off the street earlier this month.

Smith appeared in a video about Joey for San Bernardino County’s Devore Animal Shelter. It was released to the public in an effort to find the dog’s owner — or a potential adopter for him.

“He just kind of struck a chord,” Smith told ABC News. He says Joey is “extremely nimble on his two legs.” The shelter staff believes the pooch was born without his right front and left rear legs.


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When no one came forward to claim Joey after 96 hours, he was officially put up for adoption. That’s when Smith’s 13-year-old daughter, Rodri, saw a TV news report about the special dog.

Rodri visited Joey at the shelter and fell in love with the affectionate little guy, who’s about 5 or 6 years old.

But Rodri wasn’t the only one who wanted to take Joey home, and Smith wanted to play fair. He joined the shelter’s lottery just like the 20 other potential owners.

“I let everybody else draw first [to avoid] any appearance of impropriety or anything else," he says. “I really thought I had no chance of winning this dog, but my daughter was in love with this dog. I told her I would try…  The funny part was when I pulled the number out I held it up for everyone else to see. They told me I won.”

Joey is now happily at home with the Smith family and their two other dogs.

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