Bella’s fifth leg is basically fused with her back right leg. X-rays unveiled the mystery: Two femurs, two tibias, two fibulas and nine toes. The shelter where she’s at says she’s happy and healthy.

When a 6-month-old dog named Bella was surrendered to the Wisconsin Humane Society, one thing − or rather one leg − stuck out.

The 50-pound pup, who was surrendered on April 15, had an abnormal gait, her back right leg was wider than the other three and her paw looked like a flipper.

Bella’s X-rays revealed the mystery: Two femurs, two tibias, two fibulas and nine toes. Basically, a fifth leg.

“I actually thought somebody was playing an AI prank on me or was playing in Photoshop,” Wisconsin Humane Society spokesperson Angela Speed told USA TODAY on Wednesday. “I’ve never seen anything like that.”

Bella the five-legged shelter pup gets diagnosis

Bella has been diagnosed with dimelia, a congenital condition so rare that her case is the first the Wisconsin Humane Society has seen in its 145-year history.

The Humane Society consulted with outside veterinarians and determined that since Bella does not appear to be in any pain from the condition, that the leg can stay as-is. Speed did say that Bella has some mobility issues and that the family who adopts her should develop a close relationship with a veterinarian.

“It’s really hard to know what the next six months, two years, five years, are going to look like for Bella,” Speed said. “We know that today she’s a happy otherwise healthy girl.”

The “unicorn of a dog” loves eating chicken, her treats and going on walks. She is currently available for adoption.

“We’ve never met anyone like her,” Speed said

Shelter hopes Bella’s noteriety helps find others forever homes

Speed hopes that the publicity Bella generates will bring more attention to the animals in the Humane Society’s shelters, where she says intake has been higher than it was before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“2024 has been a really challenging year for shelters across the country, including at the Wisconsin Humane Society. We’re seeing a lower demand for adoption right now but higher intake. It’s creating bottlenecks,” Speed said. “Fortunately, the Wisconsin Humane Society animals in our adoption program have as long as it takes to find a new home, but it’s taking longer.”

According to Shelter Animals Count, an organization that tracks the number of animals in shelters across the nation, over 1,800 shelters have taken in over 529,000 animals from the start of the year through March. Of them, 241,270 were strays and 148,381 were relinquished by their owners.

The organization also reports that the shelters have completed over 324,00 adoptions and returned nearly 59,000 animals to their owners.

“We’re hoping that Bella’s story does help shine the light on the fantastic and amazing dogs available at your local shelter,” Speed said.

APPLETON, Wis. (WBAY) – Rare cicadas are starting to emerge across the country. You have a chance to check out this historical moment with two periodic broods coming out at the same time — but it won’t be easy.

Scientists report billions of cicadas will emerge. Some are calling it “Cicada-geddon” or “cicada-palooza.”

“It’s a strange phenomenon,” UW-Green Bay Professor Michael Draney explained. “There’s three thousand species of cicadas on the planet but there’s only seven of these periodic cicadas that live in Eastern North America.”

Bad news for bug lovers in Northeast Wisconsin. You have to travel to the very southern part of our state — south of Milwaukee and Madison — to see what’s called the Northern Illinois brood.

The Northern Illinois brood only comes out every 17 years. For the Great Southern brood, it emerges every 13 years.

“The clock ticks and they’re like, ‘Hey, it’s time to become an adult!’ They crawl out at sunset. They climb out of their baby shell. Their wings inflate. The next day you see cicadas!” Professor Draney said.

Both are popping out at the same time for the first time since 1803. For perspective, Thomas Jefferson was president; that’s the year he purchased the Louisiana Territory.

Draney said cicadas are basically trying to avoid predators by coming out all at once.

“The adults are kind of helpless against predators… if they just kind of came out every year they’d probably just get eaten but when they all come out all at once every 13 years it takes the predators by surprise and some of them survive.”

In our neighborhoods, Draney told Action 2 News it’s going to seem like a usual cicada summer.

“We do have cicadas in this area but they mostly actually emerge later in the summer. As you know, in August is when you hear the noise but it’s a different genus, different species, and it’s not happening here for us,” Draney said.

If you’re really interested, there are a few sweet locations around Illinois where both periodic cicadas are coming out at the same time.

“If it’s a good spot you can get thousands and thousands of these coming out in your backyard. Millions per acre. It can be really dramatic. It can make the roads slippery. It can be a real thing. Still, it’s very spotty.”

Just keep the pets at home.

“You have to actually be careful. Pet dogs can get a taste for cicadas, and they can get very sick because the shells of the cicadas — the exoskeletons — can cause a blockage if they eat way too many of them,” Draney explained.

Draney said the peak is likely the middle of this month into June, so the clock is ticking if you want to make the trek to check out this rare cicada emergence.

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