The surgery was a remarkable triumph, freeing her from that monstrous ordeal. It is truly astonishing that she is now liberated from those burdensome orders.

An “unusual” dog called Pig that has no neck and a body that appears to have been chopped in half has become an internet sensation.

More than 27,000 people have joined a fans’ group in honour of the strange-looking animal, who is quickly becoming one of Alabama’s biggest stars.

Pig, who bears little resemblance to the curly-tailed farmyard animal, suffers from short spine syndrome and has bones that are fused together.

Her condition causes her to walk like a gorilla and she often loses her balance, toppling over like a toddler.

But she is not letting her disability get her down and her adventures are chronicled on a Facebook page called Pig the Unusual Dog.

Kim Dillenbeck, who adopted Pig after finding her in a forest, said her pet is “living life to the fullest”.

“She’s missing several inches of her spine (and) her joints, her hips … none of them are in the right position,” she added.

Dr Rachael Hudson-Breland, the vet who treats Pig, said the eight-month-old mutt is given “rock star” treatment at her clinic.

“I don’t think Pig really knows she looks different,” she said.

“She runs around, she plays. The only thing with Pig is … she has respiratory issues, so when she’s running around she gets a little more tired than most dogs.”