A Chilliwack family is on the hunt for a special puppy that has the same condition as its youngest member 鈥� a limb difference.

Two-year-old Ivy McLeod is a congenital bilateral amputee. Both her arms were not formed correctly while in the womb. There鈥檚 no official name for it, so it鈥檚 typically known as a 鈥渓imb difference鈥� because her limbs are different than what most people have.

Ivy鈥檚 mom Vanessa said they are now searching for a puppy, who also has a limb difference, to join the family.

鈥淚鈥檓 looking for a companion for my daughter who was born with limbs that are a little different than most. What others might think imperfect or flawed, I think is beautiful and deserving of love,鈥� Vanessa said.

She and her husband, Sean, found out about Ivy鈥檚 limb difference when she was 19 weeks pregnant. The specialist appointment she had with doctors and a counsellor at BC Children鈥檚 Hospital was 鈥渟everely disappointing,鈥� she said.

鈥淭hey told me to terminate my pregnancy. They told me she would have no quality of life.鈥�

After declining the termination, Vanessa was offered an amniocentesis 鈥� a procedure where a sample of amniotic fluid is taken to test for any genetic abnormality. There are risks with an amniocentesis, so the McLeods declined that, too.

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The remainder of her pregnancy was difficult and emotional with a lot of fear and anxiety, but on the day Ivy was born, Vanessa knew she made the right choice.

鈥淭he moment she was born and she looked me in the eyes, I knew she was exactly where she was meant to be.鈥�

Because of the limb difference, doctors figured there must be some underlying cause, but there wasn鈥檛. Ivy was born perfectly healthy and still is two years later.

鈥淪he鈥檚 a normal two-year-old. Whatever she wants to do, she does it,鈥� Vanessa said. 鈥淪he refuses to let me help her up the stairs. She鈥檚 very independent. She鈥檚 the most fearless, determined little girl I鈥檝e ever met.鈥�

Ivy uses her toes like fingers to pick things up. She grasps a pen with her little toes, just like anyone else would use their hands.

When playing, she pushes buttons on toys with her toes. She will tuck something under her chin, or between her shoulder and ear to carry something.

Ivy does anything she wants, she just has her own 鈥渦nique鈥� way of doing it, says her mom.

Now the McLeod family wants to welcome a unique dog into their family 鈥� one with a limb difference, just like Ivy.

They would like to get a small- or medium-breed puppy so that it can grow with Ivy and her four-year-old sister Elena.

Vanessa said she knows there are many 鈥渢ripod鈥� dogs out there, but many of them often come with trauma issues following the accident or illness that resulted in the loss of their limb.

They are not closed off to the idea of getting an older dog, but they would prefer a puppy.

鈥淚 believe in fate. I truly believe there鈥檚 a puppy out there that is just meant to be part of our family,鈥� Vanessa said. 鈥淎 lot of people would discard a dog like that. I don鈥檛 believe a limb difference 鈥� whether a dog or a human 鈥� makes you any less worthy of love, of life, of a home. People told me that maybe Ivy doesn鈥檛 deserve a shot at life, and here she is.鈥�

She knows one day, Ivy will ask why she was born this way.

鈥淚 think that having a little puppy companion who was born the same way will be a huge comfort to her. I鈥檓 hoping they will have a really special bond because of their differences.

鈥淚 want people to know her life isn鈥檛 sad. I don鈥檛 feel sad about her differences. She鈥檚 just different and different is beautiful in so many unexpected ways,鈥� Vanessa said.

If you know of a puppy that might be the perfect fit for Ivy and her family, contact Vanessa at vanessadmcleod@gmail.com, or on .