This is the tale of Gigi, a boxer-Labrador retriever mix born nearly a year ago without a right hind paw.

She initially was named Sara by the first of several humans in three counties who befriended her.

This also is a tribute to the Morgan County-based organization One Paw at a Time, which doggedly stepped in to rescue the dog in June and began steps to correct the deformity while trying to find her a permanent home.

In addition, this is a testament to Scott Ludlow, the General Manager, and partner of Brownsburg-based Integrated Orthotic Lab in Hendricks County.

Ludlow makes custom foot Orthotics for humans but volunteered to do plaster-and-fiberglass casts of a lower right hind leg and paw for Gigi, so that Orthopets in Denver would have a solid basis on which to make a temporary and a permanent prosthesis.

This is in recognition of Richard and Kathryn Cimera, Greenwood, who adopted the dog in August without any reservations about the deformity, renamed her Gigi, and now watch as she gets around on the temporary prosthesis and plays with their two 5-year-old dogs: Bogey, a basset hound, and Izzy, a boxer-Labrador mix.

Orthopets will craft a more permanent prosthesis soon, which may arrive in time for the holiday season.

The temporary and more permanent prosthesis work is a $600 gift to Gigi through the generosity of One Paw at a Time founder Beth Topie, Mooresville; her special assistant Kathy McLean, Monrovia; and others associated with the nonprofit that specializes in dog rescues and assisting those dogs with special needs.

"Everyone knows I do rescues," said Topie, who was contacted in April about a puppy in Morgan County that was missing a paw and at risk of not finding a home.

"We take in all kinds," she said, describing dogs that are accepted by One Paw at a Time, which she founded about three years ago. This year alone, she said, the group has assisted more than 200 at-risk dogs.

Topie said she and McLean, each of whom has nine dogs of their own, and others involved in the group have paid thousands of dollars to help dogs at risk and welcome donations. They have a kennel that can house up to 30 dogs at a time.

"I'm a big dog lover," said Ludlow, explaining his willingness to do the casting without charge and line up Orthopets to do the prosthesis work. He said he and his wife have had several dogs and several months ago, adopted one from a humane society.

Kathryn Cimera said she saw information online about Sara, now Gigi, being available for adoption and noticed that she was the same mix as her dog Izzy.

"They're doing great. We haven't had any problems," she said after Gigi's introduction into the family at their home in Greenwood's Valle Vista neighborhood.

Cimera said Gigi's temporary prosthesis will be sent back to Orthopets soon, replaced by the more permanently designed and built prosthesis. "She's just the sweetest dog," she said.

Appropriate to this story, Richard and Kathryn met in 2006 at Four Paws Dog Park in Greenwood, where Richard took his Bogey and Kathryn took her Izzy.

"Her dog would just sit in front of her and bark at all the other dogs," Richard recalled. "Bogey liked her. Then I liked the owner."

They married in June 2008, he said.

As for the dog's name change, Kathryn said Sara Cimera had too much rhyme in it.

The couple, who enjoy the theater, decided instead on Gigi, the name of the stage and screen musical classic.

Below, Scott Ludlow GM Integrated Orthotic Lab performs casting.