(WSVN) - Beach Donkey, a 24-year-old penguin, was given a new lease on life after receiving more than two years of specialized care for a foot condition.
Now she’s strapped into some new kicks and taking this New England aquarium by storm.
A penguin at a Boston aquarium is finally experiencing happy feet thanks to her special shoes.
“By the time she was wearing them, it was really reinforcing for her because she got to walk around the aquarium, and see different things,” said Amanda Barr, a Senior Penguin Trainer at the aquarium.
Veterinarians spent the past two years trying to figure out how to help Beach Donkey waddle safely. The African penguin has a condition called bumblefoot which causes callouses that can lead to dangerous infections.
Beach Donkey’s care team prescribed several medications, surgeries and treatments, along with special footwear.
“The shoes were initially intended to help take the pressure off the bottom of her feet to help relieve that area,” said Barr.
Getting the penguin used to the shoes was a long process.
“Just touching her feet with the boots, showing her the boots, getting her comfortable, used to that feeling, and then we started attaching the straps so maybe just attaching one and then taking it right back off, just getting her used to the sound of the velcro, the feel of the velcro all the way up to working it on to like putting on her the whole time,” said Barr.
Beach Donkey no longer has any active callouses on her feet
After the success of her treatment, she no longer needs to wear her shoes every day, but she still remains a fashion icon at the aquarium for her footwear.
“Everybody would probably be jealous if they saw it,” mentioned Barr.
At 24, Beach Donkey has far exceeded her life expectancy of 10 to 15 years in the wild, as have most of the penguins at the aquarium
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