MIAMI  — Pogo’s two front legs are fractured, but that doesn’t keep the 21/2-year-old dog from romping in his Weston backyard with his playmates.

Pogo had been brought into the Humane Society of Broward County in March with his injuries.

“I was just drawn to him,” said Chris Wheeler, who works at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. “I realized that for some people that would be a limiting thing.

In a country where about six to eight million animals come into shelters, it’s hard enough to find homes for them. About 50 percent are euthanized annually.

It’s even harder when the animal comes in with a defect — broken limbs, skin rashes, paralysis or blindness.

“The majority of people who come into a shelter want a happy, healthy friendly pet,” said Cherie Wachter, a spokeswoman for the Humane Society of Broward County. “Animals that have special needs such as Pogo, it’s going to take a family that’s willing to go the extra step.”

Wheeler was already a veteran with disabled animals. Before coming to South Florida, she’d adopted Ragu, an orange and green-eyed furry cat who had been abandoned by his family because he needed a back leg amputated.

When she got Pogo — named thanks to his tendency to stand only on his hind legs — Wheeler knew she would need to invest a lot of time with him. Several times a week, she drove Pogo to the veterinarian clinic at the Humane Society of Broward County for his follow-up care: changing the gauze that bandaged his legs and X-rays.

“Pogo’s unconditional love is hugely rewarding. You can’t explain it, and you can’t replace it with something else,” Wheeler said. “It’s a different feeling when you give an animal like Pogo a second chance.”

The gauze is now off and Pogo’s legs have become shorter, but he can walk normally, Wheeler said.

Like Wheeler, other pet lovers in South Florida have opened their hearts and homes to animals with disabilities.

Gail Meltzer, of Hollywood, adopted Hope, a three-legged Siberian husky.

Meltzer had signed up with the South Florida Siberian Husky Rescue Group. Her first call was to foster a malnourished husky found on the streets.

“I was nervous because I didn’t know what her needs were,” Meltzer recalled.

Instead of fostering Hope, Meltzer became Hope’s permanent owner.

“I immediately fell I love with her,” said Meltzer, a consultant for nonprofits.

But it wasn’t all that easy. It took a load of patience, Meltzer said.

“She was cautious about being petted. It took about six months for her to start to relax a little bit and trust that she was OK,” Meltzer said.

Today, about 10 pounds heavier and bathed with love, Hope is a new dog. She jumps, runs at the park, howls and plays with other dogs.

“Rescuing a dog feels like the right thing to do,” Meltzer said. “You are saving a dog that would have otherwise been killed.”

In some cases, adopting an animal with a disability can end up being expensive.

Sadia Caceres, of Hollywood, pays $91 a week in therapies for Preston, her 4-year-old Dachshund that has intervertebral disk disease, which has caused his lower body to be paralyzed.

“Thankfully, I have a good job, and I don’t feel bad about spending the money because I want to give him an opportunity to maybe walk again,” said Caceres, who got Preston from Dachshund Rescue South Florida.

Preston is her second dog with this paralysis.

Snoopy, her 8-year-old Dachshund, suddenly became paralytic a year and a half ago, something common for this breed.

“At the beginning, it was overwhelming. I was worried that I was not going to be able to take care of him,” said Caceres, who constantly gets educated about her dogs’ condition through Dodgerslist.com. “Anyone is capable of learning how to care for a paralyzed dog and once they do, it’s easy.”

Due to their paralysis, Cacares has to press on the dogs’ bladders four times a day to empty them. If the bladders aren’t properly emptied, the dogs could get urinary tract infections, which leads to more costs for tests and medicine.

Yet, her dogs live a normal life. They use a wheelchair to go outside to run, play and chase lizards.

“It is very rewarding and joyful to save a dog’s life that has a lesser chance of getting adopted by most people,” Caceres said. “I can also sense how grateful (Preston) is to me for rescuing him.”