After losing a front leg in a terrible accident, a poodle from southwest China’s Sichuan province has learned to walk upright on her hind legs. Barbie the poodle is now a local celebrity in the city of Chengdu, and is slowly becoming a social media sensation as well.

According to her owner Chen Mianyang, Barbie was hit by a motorcycle in 2011. “There was blood everywhere and she was screaming like she was dying,” he recalled. Her front left leg needed to be amputated in order to save her life, in a surgery that cost Chen 5,000 yuan ($760).

The poor little dog found it difficult to move for about six months after the amputation, but then she started attempting to stand on her hind legs. At first she would just fall over, but she kept practicing until one night, she rose from her kennel and walked shakily towards the table where Chen and his wife were having dinner.

Nine-year-old Barbie can now walk for up to a kilometer before she needs to stop for rest. Chen and his wife dress her up in interesting outfits, so she actually resembles a little person out on a stroll. Soon, people on the streets began to notice and recognise Barbie, and she slowly became a celebrity of sorts. She apparently never leaves Chen’s side, but occasionally leans in for a hug from passersby who stop to pet her.

Barbie’s biped walking is not entirely unique. Faith the wonder dog had both her front legs amputated and learned to use only her hind legs to move around. She became a star and had her own foundation through which her owners raised funds for various charities. Sadly, Faith passed away a few years ago, but her touching story lives on.

Photos: Yangtse (Chinese)

via Shanghaiist