A paralysed rabbit is hopping for joy after being given the chance to walk again – with a bunny WHEELCHAIR.

Bertha the bunny was left unable to move around her home after her hips collapsed in May.

But ignoring vets’ advice to put her down, her devoted owner created a specially-designed wheelchair to give her a new lease of life.

Melanie James, who adopted Bertha as a baby four years ago, said: “When the vet said the nicest thing to do would be to put her down, she still had so much life.

“I’ve actually seen dogs in wheelchairs and I thought ‘if it works for a dog, then why not a rabbit?’

“It took her two days to take to the wheelchair but it’s given her so much independence.

“She’s always been very dominant and if she didn’t want to do something she wouldn’t.

“She sits in it maybe for a couple of hours and then she has a rest.”

The specially-adapted wheelchair hooks on to Bertha’s back end and means she can finally roam freely around her home at the Ani-Mel charity in Bank Mill, Cumbria.

“It’s actually a puppy wheelchair that’s been adapted to fit her and hopefully within the not too distant future she was regain mobility herself,” said Melanie.

Bertha was injured when a fracture to her back leg went unnoticed and healed itself, forming a callous.

Due to her size and weight as a giant rabbit, this led to hip dysplasia, and infections on her hip and back.

She needed daily treatment to avoid infection, and a vet she should be put down, with the alternative being daily baths, physio, antibiotic injections and as much movement as possible.

But Melanie was determined to give her pet a second chance.

She said: “The vet and myself can’t believe how well the wheelchair is actually working so we’ve got everything crossed that it will go to plan.

“The majority, maybe 98 per cent of people, think I’m doing really well and that it’s great how she’s adapted but you still get the odd one saying she’d be better off put down.

“My answer to that is that wherever there is still life, everything deserves a chance.

“I first thought when she lost the use of her legs that she would just give in but she hasn’t and her muscles keep getting stronger.”

Watch here as Bertha runs around with her new wheels!

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