Touching story behind why this completely healthy dog feigned a limp

An adorable dog has developed a ‘fake limp’ to show sympathy with her brother.

Fletcher, who lives in Spain, recently got a new sibling, a street dog from Thailand Candy.

Candy had a challenging past where she lost one of her legs after being abandoned in the jungle as a puppy. However, her new family has embraced her wholeheartedly, and Fletcher has devised his own way of expressing his love for her.

While Candy accompanies the family on walks by hopping along, it was observed that Fletcher has begun mimicking her movements, developing his own “limp” to mirror his beloved companion.

The heartwarming video capturing the endearing bond between the two siblings was recorded by their new caregivers but was shared on social media by Niall Harbison, an animal rescuer operating in Thailand.

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, he shared the emotional story along with videos of the sweet pooches playing happily together. 

He wrote: ‘This story of how one dog developed a fake limp will make your heart burst with joy. Meet Fletcher the kindest boy ever.

‘Fletcher lives in Spain and last week he got a new sibling called Candy. She is an adopted street dog from Thailand. Along with his family he welcomed her in kindly.

‘Candy and Fletcher have been out on walks together and it’s all worked out great. She hops along without a care in the world.

‘Fletcher has started copying the way Candy walks with her 3 legs. Fletcher says he wanted to make sure Candy feel comfortable and that she fits in well here. He says he loves his new sister.

The rescuer concluded: ‘So if you ever think the world is bad just remember there is a dog out there putting on a fake limp to welcome his new best friend. Good boy Fletcher.’

Many rushed to the comments to say they were proud of Fletcher for welcoming his new sister so warmly. 

One person said: ‘Ohh Fletcher, what a good boy, truly that heart’s just pure gold and so awesome to see sweet Candy loving her new life and her new family!’

Another said: ‘Dogs are incredible. Mine did this on our walks when my knee was screwed up. Just started randomly limping.’

Someone else said: ‘Not crying …….. just been chopping onions…….honestly.’

A fourth added: ‘Fletcher you have more sympathy and kindness in your heart than many humans. What a good boy.’ 

According to experts at Dogster.com dogs often fake injuries to ‘gain attention, affection, or extra treats.’

They said: ‘If they notice that a behavior, like limping, results in increased attention, sympathy, or treats, they may learn to associate it with positive outcomes. 

‘They may sense that when they’re injured, we shower them with love, pampering, and extra goodies.’

Niall dedicating his life to rescuing street dogs in Thailand after a brush with death.

The rescuer, a recovering alcoholic who’s originally from Ireland but now lives in the Far Eastern country, lives with around 80 dogs and plans to one day help 10,000 street dogs a month.

He previously told MailOnline that he vowed to change his life after being admitted to intensive care following a drinking binge sparked by depression and anxiety.

Niall spends thousands of dollars every month on keeping his dog sanctuary, Happy Doggo running, alongside crowdfunding via his social media platforms, with donations helping to pay for veterinary care of the dogs that come his way.

His Instagram account has gone from just 800 followers two years ago to 1.2million today – with fans keen to see content on how he’s transforming the lives of the dogs he’s coming into contact with.

He explained how he began rescuing street dogs after he almost lost his life to alcohol abuse. 

‘I started the mission after ending up in ICU in hospital. I nearly drank myself to death because I suffered from anxiety and depression. I spent three days there and when nearly dying I vowed to change my life and do something meaningful.

He said he started looking after one dog, Lucky, but ‘the bag of food just got bigger and bigger going to four dogs then eight, and then eventually up to 80 dogs per day.’

Previously, his followers were keeping a close eye on a dog called Alba, a dog he posted about in January, explaining that she’d been found chained up, and extremely emaciated.

In posts on X (formerly Twitter) , he explained: ‘We rescued little Alba 36 hours ago. Her life is still very much in the balance but I’ve had some little wins with her today. We have hope now and that’s the most important.’

He added: ‘She’s on her third dose of medicines already. They’ve thrown her off her appetite for most of the day but are staying down. The medicines could kill her is the worry but we have to try something urgently.’

The animal rescuer then shared a video of himself grooming Alba, explaining that: ‘I didn’t want to stress her too much but the big ugly chain marks were on her neck. I told her that if she looks good she’ll feel good. Along with all the ticks being gone these are huge wins.’

Despite managing to get Alba to eat, and even take a little walk, he was mindful that she still isn’t out of the woods, writing: ‘We have to be mindful her chances of survival are still small. Her weight is one thing but the heart worms, kidneys under attack and heart worms are going to be tough to fight. The only focus is one more days survival. Every day is a win.’

However, this morning, Harbison shared several videos on Instagram, showing some cautious optimism that Alba seems to be improving.

While he reminded followers that sick dog can see their health decline very quickly, he described Alba as seeming ‘more alive’ than when he first took her in.

One particularly promising video showed the pooch eating as she enthusiastically wagged her tail.

The video was accompanied by text that said: ‘Alba is up and alive and eating this morning. Look at that tail.’

According to the charity’s website, it was in early 2021 when Niall Harbison was recovering from a near-death experience caused by substance abuse that he started jogging around Koh Samui, Thailand in an effort to get back on track.

He started bringing food to many of the malnourished dogs he saw en route, and started sharing videos of the animals online.

The site adds: ‘Niall’s videos started to attract the attention of people all over the world who wanted to help.

‘He began feeding and vaccinating as many dogs as he could, but he quickly realised that sterilisation was the only way to fix the problem long-term.’

While he has gained more than a million Instagram followers, and helped many animals, he has huge plans.

‘Niall secured a piece of land and set about making a sanctuary for dogs to recuperate, taking in only the most sick and vulnerable dogs,’ says the charity website. ‘He named it after Tina, the golden retriever he rescued in Thailand who inspired a movement.

‘It will be located adjacent to Happy Doggo Land. With approximately 3,117 square feet of medical facilities, it will host two operating theatres, diagnostic facilities such as x-rays, as well as an in-house lab, a pharmacy, an intensive care unit, and overnight capacity for approximately 15 dogs.’