Belly, a tiny tan Chihuahua dog born without arms, has quickly become TikTok’s newest obsession. Despite her disability, Belly is full of life, rolling around, snuggling with her foster mom, and even learning to use a tiny mobility scooter. Her journey, documented by foster mom Hannah Sand (@hannah_sand24) in 34 TikTok videos to date, has captivated millions, with fans declaring their love for the little pup in viral videos.
Meet Belly: The dog with no arms
Belly first appeared on TikTok on Feb. 13, 2025, in a video by her mom Hannah Sand. The puppy caretaker adopted her from Rags to Riches Animal Rescue in Tampa, FL, along with her three foster brothers. The other pups are from a different litter, with Belly the chihuahua being the odd one out for more than one reason.
@hannah_sand24 I only have Belly until Monday and she goes back to the rescue for vet appointments. #puppies #fosterpuppy #fostermom ♬ original sound – hannah_sand24
“Belly was born without her two front legs,” says Sand in the introduction video. “And she’s so tiny. I don’t even know how to hold you.”
As a disabled dog and a massive cutie pie, Belly gets a lot of special treatment, including a mobility device. Sand first demonstrated the wheelchair, which she made herself out of common materials, on Feb. 17. Later, Sand tried adding two more wheels for stability, but it turned out to be too big for the tiny puppy.
On Feb. 27, she introduced a new wheelchair, made by a man named Jeff, which seemed to work out better for Belly.
When she’s not practicing with the mobility device, Belly loves to squirm around on Sand’s chest in bed and bite at her fingers in between getting belly rubs until she passes out. Sand demonstrated this for fans in her most viral video, gaining over 9.5 million views in one week, as well as over nine million likes.
@hannah_sand24 This is what Belly’s nights consist of. She plays on my chest until she puts herself to sleep nuzzled in my neck🥹 @Rags to Riches Animal Rescue #rescuedog #fosterpuppy #puppy #puppytiktok ♬ original sound – hannah_sand24
TikTok can’t get enough of Belly
Few social media posts get as much love as videos of a dog without arms, and Belly is no exception. The number of people in love, crying, and declaring that they’re willing to die for this little pup numbers well into the thousands with each post.
“I wouldn’t get anything done because I’d be kissing all over that baby,” said one user responding to her most viral video. “She’s so precious. God bless her.”
Another TikToker, also named Hannah, felt a special connection to Belly,
“My name is Hannah, I lost my special needs chihuahua in December,” she wrote. “Seeing you and belly makes me so happy. I always show my husband and cry happy tears haha.”
There’s so many more videos to keep the dog-loving TikTok user happy. Did you see the one where Sand makes her a sweater out of a sock? Or the one where she eats her food from a spoon? Grab the tissues first, just in case.
Disabled dogs are everywhere
According to Bark Post, around six percent of all puppies are born with birth defects including heart conditions, cleft palates, and missing pieces like legs or tails. When it comes to missing limbs, this is typically due to trauma in the womb that disrupts normal development. Chemical exposure can also be the culprit.
Genetic and environmental birth defects are significantly more likely to occur in puppy mills, where sellers over-breed dogs and keep them and their puppies in cruel conditions. These commercial enterprises limit attention, space, exercise, cleaning, and veterinary care as much as possible to maximize profits.
As a result, 41.6 percent of these dogs experience health issues, according to the World Animal Foundation. Unsuspecting new owners may not notice these problems until after they take their puppy home, or they may not manifest until later in the dog’s life. These animals are also much more likely to exhibit behavioral issues from early trauma.
This is why advocates against animal cruelty recommend adopting pets from organizations like Rags to Riches Animal Rescue. Every dog rescued instead of purchased helps to put unethical animal breeders out of business.
The Daily Dot has reached out to @hannah_sand24 for comment via TikTok.
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