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The Wizard of Paws - Boundless Birdie (S5E9)
Derrick revisits Chicago, Illinois to meet a 10-year old dog named Birdie, who has never walked with four legs. He's challenged with building a full limb prosthesis that Birdie will accept and use to prevent further injury to her front leg.
| Runtime (min) | 27 |
|---|---|
| Air Date | 2023-05-21 |
| Genres | Documentary, Reality, Family |
| Network(s) | BYU Television |
Storyline
Derrick Campana returns to Chicago, Illinois, to help Birdie, a ten-year-old dog who has spent her entire life walking on only three legs. Born without the ability to use one of her hind limbs, Birdie has adapted remarkably well over the years, but her compensating gait has begun to take a toll on her front leg, putting her at risk for further injury and mobility loss. Her family is concerned that without intervention, Birdie's quality of life will decline as she ages.
Derrick faces a unique challenge: designing and building a full limb prosthesis that Birdie will not only tolerate but actually use. Because Birdie has never experienced walking on four legs, she must learn to trust the device and adjust her entire movement pattern. Derrick works closely with Birdie and her family to create a custom prosthetic, then guides them through the careful process of acclimation and training, hoping to give Birdie a more balanced, sustainable way to move and protect her remaining healthy limbs.
What kids learn
Children watching this episode learn about perseverance and problem-solving when facing physical challenges. Birdie's story demonstrates that disabilities do not define an individual's worth or potential, and that creative solutions can improve quality of life at any stage. Kids see how Derrick approaches a complex problem methodically, testing different designs and adjusting his approach based on Birdie's unique needs and responses.
The episode also teaches empathy and patience. Birdie's family shows unconditional love and commitment, seeking help not because Birdie is broken, but because they want to support her long-term health. Young viewers learn that helping someone adapt to a new tool or skill takes time, encouragement, and understanding. Birdie must overcome her instinct to move the way she always has, illustrating that change can be difficult even when it is beneficial.
Additionally, children gain insight into veterinary prosthetics as a career path and the intersection of engineering, animal care, and compassion. They see that innovation and kindness can work together to solve real-world problems, and that helping animals live fuller lives is both a science and an art.
Parents' top 5 questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How does a dog learn to use a prosthetic limb after never walking on four legs? | The episode shows that acclimation is gradual and requires patience. Derrick introduces the prosthetic slowly, allowing Birdie to wear it for short periods while her family encourages her with treats and praise. Because Birdie has compensated her entire life, her brain and muscles must learn new movement patterns. The process involves building trust with the device, strengthening underused muscles, and rewarding small successes until walking on four legs feels natural rather than foreign. |
| Why is it important to address Birdie's mobility now, at age ten? | Birdie's three-legged gait has placed excessive strain on her front leg over the years, increasing the risk of joint damage, arthritis, and injury. Without intervention, she could lose mobility in that leg as well, severely limiting her independence and comfort. By providing a prosthetic now, Derrick aims to redistribute her weight more evenly, reduce stress on her healthy limbs, and preserve her quality of life as she ages, preventing a cascade of physical problems. |
| Is this episode appropriate for sensitive children who worry about animals in pain? | The episode focuses on hope and solution-oriented care rather than distress. Birdie is not shown suffering; instead, viewers see her as a happy, loved dog whose family wants to help her stay healthy. The prosthetic fitting process is presented as a positive, collaborative effort. Children who are sensitive to animal welfare will likely find the episode uplifting, as it emphasizes compassion, innovation, and the tangible difference that caring people can make in an animal's life. |
| What can children learn about differences and adaptation from Birdie's story? | Birdie's story teaches that being different does not mean being less capable or less deserving of a full life. She has thrived for a decade on three legs, showing resilience and adaptability. The episode illustrates that accommodations and assistive devices are tools for empowerment, not symbols of weakness. Children learn that everyone has unique challenges, and that seeking help or using adaptive equipment is a smart, proactive choice that can open new possibilities and protect long-term well-being. |
| Does the episode explain how Derrick customizes the prosthetic for Birdie specifically? | Yes, the episode highlights Derrick's design process, showing how he takes measurements, considers Birdie's size, weight, and movement patterns, and builds a prosthetic tailored to her body. Viewers see that each device is unique, not one-size-fits-all, and that successful outcomes depend on careful observation, testing, and adjustment. This demonstrates the importance of personalized care and the blend of technical skill and empathy required to help animals with mobility challenges. |
Writing
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Directing
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| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Lightning is a pony with deformed hooves who struggles to live life to the fullest. He needs Derrick's help to get back on his feet and improve his health and quality of life. |
| 1 | 2 | Derrick helps Waddles the duck regain mobility. Derrick then creates prosthetics that will help Avery get back on all four paws. |
| 1 | 3 | Derrick helps two chihuahuas, Turbo Roo and Thor, get new sets of wheels to keep up with their loving family. |
| 1 | 4 | Derrick makes a special prosthetic for Ferdie, a goat who lost his back leg in an accident. |
| 1 | 5 | Derrick gets creative as he makes four new braces for Bert, a potbelly pig with a disorder that limits his walking abilities. |
| 1 | 6 | Derrick gives Pearl, a rescue bulldog, some pawsitive reinforcements. |
| 1 | 7 | Having no paws makes mobility difficult for Elsa the dog Derrick creates four prosthetics to help her walk with less struggle. |
| 1 | 8 | Gracie already tried a prosthetic that failed her. Derrick works even harder to help her find her footing again. |
| 1 | 9 | Derrick helps three barnyard animals find new life through specialized prosthetics. |
| 1 | 10 | Derrick travels to the Barnyard Bhutan Animal Rescue to build a prosthetic for a horse named Yusi. Yusi lost her leg in a car accident, and if Derrick can't help her, she may not survive. |
| 1 | 11 | Derrick is in Bhutan to build a new leg for Yusi, a special horse who lost her leg in a car accident. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | Derrick Campana makes prostheses for Toto’s sensitive front legs. He personalizes them to match her owner, Jorja. |
| 2 | 2 | Derrick returns to see Lightning, the dwarf pony he helped in season one. He makes braces for another dwarf pony named Thunder and a mobility cart for a recently paralyzed dog named Lacey. |
| 2 | 3 | Derrick visits an animal sanctuary to help an Icelandic sheep named Aries and a cow named Lois. Aries gets a mobility cart and Lois gets braces for her front legs. |
| 2 | 4 | Derrick goes to Los Angeles and hears the story of Shadow and her owner, Jamie. Shadow gets a mobility cart and finds the freedom and independence she needs. |
| 2 | 5 | After a tragic accident in Thailand, a dog named Frida learns how to walk with her new leg braces. |
| 2 | 6 | A dog named Zoey gets a prosthetic leg just like her owner, Cindy. Zoey trains to be a therapy dog to encourage and comfort other amputees. |
| 2 | 7 | Trigger is in urgent need of a prosthetic leg so he can stay healthy and strong. Derrick visits Ziggy’s Refuge Farm Sanctuary to help out a pig named Hope. |
| 2 | 8 | Derrick travels all the way to Hawaii to help Magical Creatures Sanctuary with a sheep named Menina and a dog named Hank. Menina finds independence with her leg braces. |
| 2 | 9 | Derrick visits Aloha Animal Sanctuary and meets a sheep named Gaia. Gaia has overcome abuse and neglect, but she needs a prosthetic leg to keep up with her lamb, Felicio. |
| 2 | 10 | Derrick travels to Utah and makes a leg prosthesis for a goat named Hope. He mentors Hope’s owner, Gentry, throughout the prosthetic-making process. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 | Derrick travels to Mooresville, North Carolina to meet the Russell family and build a custom cart for their 11-month-old corgi, Boots, who was born with front limb deformities. Derrick and the Russell family are eager to see if Boots will accept. |
| 3 | 2 | A familiar face joins Derrick at the shop before he travels to San Diego, California to help a bouncy puppy named Teo. Derrick must come up with a new cart design so Teo’s owners, frontline workers Milton and Vannessa, can take him on beach trips. |
| 3 | 3 | Derrick travels to Long Beach, California to help the Wackerman-Nulty family and their new puppy, Colby. Colby was born with a front limb deformity called ectrodactyly. Derrick will try to make Colby a custom prosthetic to help get him on his feet. |
| 3 | 4 | Derrick helps out a dog named Rex who was born without his two front legs and needs a custom cart. Then he heads to Fort Worth, Texas to meet Penny who lost a leg in a traumatic car accident and without Derrick’s help may become paralyzed. |
| 3 | 5 | Derrick travels to a farm hidden amongst the lights of Las Vegas to help an alpaca who was born with front limb deformities. Debbie’s legs will continue to break down unless Derrick can build custom braces to stabilize and correct her legs. |
| 3 | 6 | Derrick and Henry travel to Texas to help neighbors Monica and Robert with a cow and a dog, both named Penelope. Penelope the cow needs a boot to graze freely, while Penelope the dog has severe nerve damage and can’t control her back legs. |
| 3 | 7 | Derrick helps a dog named Buddy Love, who has a front limb deformity and needs a cart to help him get around. Then Derrick heads to Minnesota to meet Marvel, who was born without her front paw and needs a prosthetic. |
| 3 | 8 | Derrick travels to Savannah, Georgia to help a war hero and his service dog, Gunner. After losing his front paw to cancer, Gunner has not been able to perform his duties as a service dog. Derrick builds a prosthetic limb that will get Gunner walking |
| 3 | 9 | Derrick helps Bella, an older dog battling cancer. Derrick builds her a cart to help her stay active during these rough cancer treatments. |
| 3 | 10 | Derrick travels to North Carolina to help John and Brittany and their rescue dog, Indy, who lost his front leg in a car accident. When Derrick discovers Indy’s shoulder is severely underdeveloped and not suited for a prosthetic, he refuses to give up |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 1 | Derrick heads to Colorado to build a custom prosthetic for Wesley, a two-year-old rescue dog born with a front limb deformity. Derrick hopes a new leg will help Wesley keep up with his adventurous family for years to come. |
| 4 | 2 | Derrick travels to Glendale, Kentucky to help out a cuddly raccoon named Boone, who needs a custom cart so he can freely move around his home at an animal sanctuary. |
| 4 | 3 | Derrick visits a family in New Jersey to help two rescues: Angus, a cat with multiple amputations; and Lux, a dog who lost his front leg. Derrick's devices will help Lux and Angus keep up with their family. |
| 4 | 4 | Derrick gives a dog named Watson the chance to walk with a full limb prosthesis. Derrick then heads to Connecticut to help Peaches the goat with a custom cart. |
| 4 | 5 | In Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Derrick meets the Hicks family and builds a custom prosthesis for their dog, Millie, who was born with a front limb deformity. |
| 4 | 6 | Derrick visits California to help a sheep named Timmy and his goat friend, Poppy. Timmy and Poppy share a stall and also share front leg mobility issues. |
| 4 | 7 | Derrick helps a pup named Rosie who is missing a paw and needs a custom prosthetic. Then, Derrick travels to Los Angeles to meet a chihuahua named Roo, who was born with two legs and needs a custom cart to help her keep up with her best friend, Chase. |
| 4 | 8 | Derrick travels to Sheridan, Illinois to help a camel named Moe. Due to his collapsed legs, Moe has been confined to his stall for four years and unable to go outside. For the first time, Derrick builds a set of braces for a 1500 pound camel. |
| 4 | 9 | Derrick helps a big dog named Bently with his back leg issues; Derrick then heads to Florida to help Ujwala and her foster dog Kala. Kala is a rescue from the streets of India who must learn to trust Derrick and the new prothesis. |
| 4 | 10 | Derrick and his wife, Kelly, travel to Thailand to visit Elephant Nature Park to help Mae Mai, an elephant with a painful dislocated knee. Derrick also helps a young bull elephant named Khun Dej and a bull named Mr. Cow. |
| 4 | 11 | Derrick and his wife, Kelly, travel to Thailand to visit Elephant Nature Park to help Mae Mai, an elephant with a painful dislocated knee. Derrick also helps a young bull elephant named Khun Dej who has an injured foot. |
| 4 | 12 | Derrick and his wife, Kelly, travel to Thailand to visit Elephant Nature Park to help Mae Mai, an elephant with a painful dislocated knee. Derrick also helps a young bull elephant named Khun Dej who has an injured foot. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 1 | In Raleigh, North Carolina, host Derrick Campana helps Kaitlyn surprise her sister Kamryn by creating a full-limb prosthetic for Kamryn’s dog Amiri after he lost his leg in a golf cart accident. |
| 5 | 2 | Host Derrick Campana travels to California to meet Martin and Jesse Kove, stars of the “Cobra Kai” franchise, and help create a prosthetic limb for their 3-legged dog, Bubba. |
| 5 | 3 | Derrick travels to an animal sanctuary in Renton, Washington to build a brace for Amelia, a cow born with leg deformities. Derrick hopes that building Amelia a prosthetic leg will lengthen her life. |
| 5 | 4 | Derrick travels to Ontario, Canada to meet best friends Winnie, a two-year-old dog, and Chip, a six-month-old sheep. Derrick builds them both a custom cart that will allow them to explore the farm together. |
| 5 | 5 | In Deltona, Florida, Derrick brings hope to a mother and daughter as he crafts a custom cart for their potbelly pig named Valentine. |
| 5 | 6 | In Austin, Texas, Derrick faces his greatest challenge yet as he creates a custom lift to offer quadriplegic cow Champion a new sense of mobility. |
| 5 | 7 | Host Derrick Campana travels to Louisville, Kentucky to create prosthetic legs for Hanabi, a pit bull terrier born without front paws. |
| 5 | 8 | Derrick Travels to California to meet Story, a puppy found with a missing paw. her tender stump makes walking painful and puts pressure on her other limbs. Derrick hopes that a custom prosthetic will give her story a happy ending. |
| 5 | 9 | Derrick revisits Chicago, Illinois to meet a 10-year old dog named Birdie, who has never walked with four legs. He's challenged with building a full limb prosthesis that Birdie will accept and use to prevent further injury to her front leg. |
| 5 | 10 | Derrick travels to LA to host a pop-up workshop for animals in need. This proves to be one of the biggest challenges yet in Derrick's career as he builds more prosthetics in three days than he ever has before. |
| 5 | 11 | Derrick races to finish building 13 unique devices in three days at his pop-up workshop in LA, leading to the single biggest night of his career at The Frida Project fundraiser where each dog he helped walks down the red carpet. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 1 | At the Juniper Wildlife Refuge, Derrick helps Jessika Coker's fantastic fox named Fig. This internet-famous fox was born with a deformed leg, and his good leg has collapsed. If Fig doesn't get help soon, he'll become immobile. |
| 6 | 2 | Derrick helps a family who struggled during COVID. The family's corgi, Ollie, was born with a deformed limb. Before building the young dog's prosthetic, Derrick has a special surprise for Ollie that involves getting wet. |
| 6 | 3 | Derrick meets his match with Agatha, a sassy two-legged goat. He builds Agatha a custom cart to take her from a handstand position back to something more comfortable. Derrick also helps a three legged cow named Mateo from Broken Shovels Farm Sanctuary. |
| 6 | 4 | Derrick helps Ivy, a miniature cow who was born with limb deformities in her front legs. Derrick builds two devices for Ivy: a brace and a lift. Both will hopefully help level out Ivy's shoulders and improve her mobility around the pasture. |
| 6 | 5 | Layka, the first dog to receive the Purple Heart since WWII, lost her leg while on a mission in Afghanistan. Upon returning to the US she was adopted by her handler, Julian. Now, years later, Derrick arrives to help regain some of Layka's mobility. |
| 6 | 6 | At the Lazy J Rescue Ranch in Humboldt, Iowa, Derrick helps a miniature zebu cow named Loretta regain mobility after an accident caused permanent damage to one of her front legs. Derrick also builds a prosthetic for a Doberman Pinscher named Holly. |
| 6 | 7 | In New York City, Derrick helps Lenny, an energetic eight year old dog with three legs. Lenny's family, Cassidy and Scott, notice he's not the dog he used to be. Derrick hopes a custom made full limb prosthetic will give Lenny a new lease on life. |
| 6 | 8 | Jojo Tidd was born without his left arm, and his Labrador puppy, Buddy, has a similar condition. Derrick builds a prosthetic for Buddy. The Tidds family shares its feelings about Lucky Fin, an organization that celebrates limb differences. |
| 6 | 9 | Derrick is in Honduras to assist Karen, Tonya, and Jimmy in finding homes for 200 dogs before their shelter closes. He works on mobility devices and posts about the animals on social media to help get as many dogs adopted as possible. |
| 6 | 10 | Derrick's family joins him in Honduras, where he is building mobility devices for several dogs, as well as using his social media presence to raise awareness for the 200 special needs animals searching for homes before the shelter closes. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | 1 | Derrick goes to Kentucky to help Chance, a tripod therapy dog who helps patients at Shriners Hospital for Children. Chance is big and his joints are wearing down. Derrick has to bring all his skills to bear to keep Chance in good form for the future. |
| 7 | 2 | Derrick visits Aimee's Animal Sanctuary to help two disabled goats, Scooter, born paralyzed and Bella, missing a leg; with help from Amy and volunteer Collette, he hopes to get them out playing and grazing with the herd, finally free to roam together. |
| 7 | 3 | Derrick visits Minnesota to help Buddy, a thirteen-year-old tripod Chihuahua; Buddy's parents are first responders who depend on his unconditional love to help them manage stress; Buddy's lost a leg and they're hoping Derrick can help. |
| 7 | 4 | Derrick travels to Houston to help Sydney with her dog, Saint, a red toy poodle missing a back paw; he meets Sydney's cousin Tracey, who has a dog named Joy with a partial front paw; Derrick steps in to assist both dogs. |
| 7 | 5 | Derrick travels to PA, to Indraloka Sanctuary to meet Loni, a three-legged lamb who needs urgent help; as Loni grows, he risks losing mobility; Derrick steps in to help give Loni the freedom he needs and support the sanctuary's mission of compassion. |
| 7 | 6 | Derrick Campana travels globally to build custom prosthetics for animals, giving them a second chance at life. His work not only restores mobility to pets but also brings hope and healing to their families. |
| 7 | 7 | On Derrick's final stop in Australia he visits the Hobby Farm for an emu called Buster; Buster was rescued by Josh, Amber and their daughter Ashlee after his feet were burnt in a fire; Derrick's excited to build his first ever pair of emu shoes. |
| 7 | 8 | Derrick visits Freedom Hill Sanctuary in South Australia to help care for rescued animals. He assists Atticus Finch, a cow getting a prosthetic leg, and Colette, a sheep recovering from a bite wound with a new brace. |
| 7 | 9 | Derrick travels to Bangalore, India, to help Vasi, a three-legged wild sloth bear that was rescued by a wildlife organization; they hope that Derrick can improve Vasi's quality of life, but this will be Derrick's first time working on a wild bear. |
| 7 | 10 | Derrick is in India to help Frodo, a horse who lost the use of one leg; rescued by Zoha at the Backwater Animal Sanctuary, Frodo now faces a critical moment, without a new prosthetic, he may become completely immobile. |
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