Dogs
Hunchback German shepherd with short-spine syndrome is living his best life
Quasi is one of only 15 dogs in the entire world living with this rare condition but he doesn't let it stop him one bit.
Cherie Gozon
07.24.21

Meet Quasimodo. He’s one beautiful dog, but there’s something unique about him.

YouTube Screenshot|truly
Source:
YouTube Screenshot|truly

This 4-year-old German Shepherd is one of only 15 dogs in the world with Short Spine Syndrome. It is a condition wherein the dog’s vertebrae on its back are compressed, so they appear shorter than other dogs.

As for Quasi, his vertebrae are not only compressed but are also missing 2 of them.

YouTube Screenshot|truly
Source:
YouTube Screenshot|truly

Rachel Mairose fostered Quasi when they caught him in Kentucky. He was a stray dog just running around. Rescuers found it difficult to catch him because he would just run away. It turns out he feared people.

When Rachel brought him home to Minnesota, his disposition totally changed.

YouTube Screenshot|truly
Source:
YouTube Screenshot|truly

What was once a fearful dog is now a very playful one. He loves to run around with all of Rachel’s other foster dogs. He is a “lady’s man,” too, since he loves following female dogs around.

His condition never stopped him from loving life.

YouTube Screenshot|truly
Source:
YouTube Screenshot|truly

In fact, this handsome boy is an internet superstar!

Rachel shared his journey to internet fame:

“It’s crazy how viral it went. I mean, we had no idea. I teased it on our Facebook page, and it got a nice amount of likes, but nothing out of control. Then, as soon as we made a Facebook page for him, he stole everybody’s hearts.”

And stole the people’s hearts he did.


The Quasi the Great Facebook page now has more than 350,000 likes. The page is filled with updates on Quasi’s daily activities, with captions written in Quasi’s POV. Each post would usually garner thousands of likes each day.

You can see how he loves to play around in the park.


He chases things, plays with his dog siblings, and loves to smell the grass and whatnot. The page features his adventures with Sailor, Molly, Tony, and Bella.

Currently, Rachel’s rescue organization, Secondhand Hounds, is taking care of Quasimodo.

YouTube Screenshot|truly
Source:
YouTube Screenshot|truly

According to their Large Breed Foster Coordinator Sara Anderson, Quasi takes pain medications to alleviate any pain caused by his compressed spine. But according to Sara, he is doing very okay as we can see that he is very mobile and active.

Meanwhile, Rachel is taking care of Quasimodo while waiting for a perfect match to adopt him.

YouTube Screenshot|truly
Source:
YouTube Screenshot|truly

She admits it will be pretty heartbreaking, and it will be difficult to let go. She’s just taking her sweet time in trimming down the applications to adopt Quasi since she wants the perfect match for his special dog.

Rachel also encourages people to adopt in shelters while waiting for Quasi.

YouTube Screenshot|truly
Source:
YouTube Screenshot|truly

According to ASPCA.org, approximately 3.3 million dogs enter the shelter each year, while only 1.6 million are adopted each year. It is estimated that there are 78 million dogs owned in the United States each year. However, only 23% of them came from shelters and other humane societies and organizations.

If you want to help a fur-baby find a forever home, you may inquire how to adopt one from Secondhand Hounds. You can also donate to help them support the animals in their shelter.

Learn more about Quasi and the incredible inspiration he gives in the video below!

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