Seattle's Baby Giraffe Gets Special Therapy Shoes

SEATTLE, WA — Woodland Park Zoo's super-cute new baby giraffe is getting a new pair of shoes that will hopefully help him heal the leg abnormalities he was born with.

The baby boy, who hasn't been named yet, was born last Thursday with a condition called "hyperextended fetlocks," which affects his hind legs. Veterinarians initially put his legs in casts, but decided that he needed more permanent support.

A team of artists and builders who design Woodland Park Zoo's exhibits was called in, and they built the baby giraffe a custom pair of shoes to help support his rear legs. The therapeutic shoes will hopefully allow the baby to get more traction as he pads around with this mother.

"At this stage, the new therapeutic shoes are on a trial basis but I’m hopeful that they will help him walk better. We’ll continue refining and improving our approach to find a good balance between supporting his limbs and strengthening his tendons,"Associate vet Dr. Tim Storms said in a press release.

The baby boy will likely wear the shoes for a few months. He's in "guarded" condition at the zoo, but appears healthy in other ways. He's nursing, and has gained more than 15 pounds since he was born, the zoo has said.

The baby was born around 5 a.m. Thursday to mom Olivia, 12, and dad Dave, 6. This is the second giraffe born at Woodland Park Zoo in recent years. Another giraffe, Tufani, gave birth to Lulu in 2017. The newest addition does not have a name yet, but the zoo is planning to hold a naming contest.