Quasimodo the German Shepherd with Short Spine Syndrome in Search for a Forever Home 

Quasimodo, a four-year-old German Shepherd that captured the hearts of many on social media, is one of only 13 dogs on the planet with a condition called short spine syndrome.

As Viral Nova noted, his name wasn't given to make fun of him, but as a reminder that Quasimodo in the story of the Hunchback of Notre Dame is a protagonist, and he has the qualities admirable in dogs.

Time reported his foster family as saying, "The Quasi of Secondhand Hounds is our hero because he is the definition of the qualities we all admire in our dogs. Born different, but never knowing any other way, he seeks to please the people who have shown him kind hands and warm hearts."

Quasi's foster family added, "He may not be as pretty as many dogs on the outside, but his heart and soul shine through and make him one of God's most beautiful creatures."

Due to his shortened spine, Quasimodo can't turn his head, however, it has been pointed out that he is not in pain. He already had surgery to remove an embedded collar in his neck and his screw tail fixed. However, while his shelter, Secondhand Hounds, and his foster family give him all the love and attention he needs, he still has to find a "forever home" -- which means that once his temperament is determined, he is up for adoption.

Here are some things to know about Quasimodo, as posted on his Quasi the Great Page on Facebook:

He is currently seeing a specialist to address his special needs. Among these are to fix his screw tail, his penis debrided and tacked, and cleaning up all the matting and infections he has gotten.

He can walk and run, but he does it in his own way, as his back cannot be repaired anymore.

Quasi is now about 4 years old and weighs about 50 pounds. He gets along with other dogs, but cats and small children may be a problem.

There are only 14 known dogs with his same condition, and he is already the third to be given the name Quasi.

At this point, he is not up for adoption yet, however, he will be once his temperament is evaluated. For now, he will remain in his foster home, where he is given all the love and care he needs -- he even has an adoptive human baby brother looking out for him.

While those who are interested in adopting Quasi will have to wait a while, he and a lot of other dogs are being taken care of in Secondhand Hounds shelter. There are almost 200 dogs available for adoption, and some of them have special needs. The organization calls for those who want to adopt to give these animals a second chance.