Babe was born with just two, back legs, but she's made the most out of her fate and is one of the most famous dogs in Hawaii. She's been invited on national talk shows and all of the local media have done stories about her.

On Oct. 31, 2007, JiJi, a short-haired chihuahua, gave birth to three pups. It was a difficult birth. One of the pups was a breech. The second puppy, Babe, was born with only two back legs.

Her owner, Warren Hoopii, said, "Most people would have put her to sleep. Without her front paws, she couldn't keep up with feedings. Babe would always be hungry. So I went to the pet store, bought little bottles and milk replacement formula, and fed her every morning before I went to work and every afternoon, when I got home. She was ravenous. As soon as I put the bottle next to her, she ate it up."

Babe played and acted like a normal puppy. She didn't know she was different. She did all the things that normal puppies do, such as playing and wrestling with her siblings.

Hoopii kept Babe, but gave the other puppies away.

He hasn't done much to change his home to accommodate her, although he has removed the coffee table from the living room, and put a big blanket on the floor so Babe can get around easier.

This feisty 2 1/2-pound chihuahua is quite independent. She eats on her own and goes outside to use the bathroom. The only thing Babe does not do is sleep on the bed. She's too little and can easily be crushed.

"Nature has a way. It adapts. I didn't have to teach her anything. Her desire to move around and get around and to be a normal dog is so overwhelming, she's inspirational," philosophizes Hoopii.

Hoopii knew that Babe could provide encouragement to others. As soon as she was old enough, he began to train her to socialize with dogs and people as well as learn basic commands.

Hoopii then contacted Tails of Aloha, a volunteer animal-assisted therapy group on Oahu. They evaluated her and she's now a certified therapy dog. She goes on scheduled monthly visits to cheer up the elderly at nursing homes around Oahu.

Hoopii recalls, "We just went to Kahala Nui. There was an elderly woman that was there for two months. She wouldn't speak or smile at anyone. She carried around a little doll. We went there with our chihuahua club. With all the cute dogs there, she snapped right out of it. She started to talk to everyone. The nurses were freaking out!"

Hoopii has three dogs that love cheering people up. Besides Babe and Jiji, he has a cream-colored pomeranian named Happy. A year ago, Happy came from South Korea and understands only Korean commands. Happy eventually got used to dog food, but had a difficult time in the beginning because she was used to eating kim chee and other Korean food. Because of Happy's sociable nature, she's a wonderful addition to the Hoopii team and loves the elderly too. Last week, Babe, Jiji and Happy visited the Maluhia nursing facility, dressed in their Halloween costumes, making people laugh and smile.

Babe's not an ordinary dog. She's brightened many people's lives with her unusual walk and adorable face.

I believe Babe was put on this Earth to show us that hardships aren't meant to keep us down. We should remember to get back up.

ADOPTABLES

HARVEY

Tag no. 09-20656.
With his curious eyes, Harvey has a passion for adventure.

KEALA

Tag no. 09-23210.
Keala is a green-eyed redhead with mischief on the mind.

SHYLA

Tag no. 09-23582.
There's nothing shy about 3-year-old Shyla, whose husky heritage makes her a leader of the pack.

Animal lover Leslie Kawamoto has been with the Advertiser for 19 years, or 133 in dog years. Check out her blog at http://HonoluluAdvertiser.com/Blogs.

These animals already may have found homes. For directions, events and to see more pets up for adoption, visit www.hawaiianhumane.org or call 946-2187. Call immediately to report lost or found animals, ext. 4