By Monique Roth
L’Observateur

LAPLACE – Molly the Pony, a local rescued animal, will be featured in the PBS Nature Documentary My Bionic Pet, airing tonight at 7 p.m.

Molly was rescued during Hurricane Katrina by Kaye and Glenn Harris, who also rescued scores of other abandoned and distressed animals during that chaotic time. One of the other rescues, a pit bull, attacked Molly and left her lame.

Unlike most horses and ponies in similar situations, however, Molly had a champion in the Harrises, who fought to honor the battles Molly had been through by keeping her alive. So instead of putting her down, Molly’s leg was amputated.

That’s where Dwayne Mara of Bayou Prosthetics came in. The man, who usually creates prosthetic limbs for humans, decided to help the Harrises and Molly by designing a prosthetic leg for the pony.

Molly is now thriving and often makes rounds to hospitals, schools, nursing homes and veterans homes when not at home in St. Rose. Last year when PBS came to film, she visited the Greater New Orleans Therapeutic Riding Center in LaPlace where she interacted with children with physical disabilities.

“She really is an inspiration to people with disabilities,” said Anita Hefler, GNOTRC executive director, who added that she would like to figure out a way to incorporate Molly’s visits into the work of the riding center.