When Kikita the lamb was born, it seemed like she had no chance of survival.

She was small and had bent knees that left her unable to stand. Her mother even rejected her, and she was left alone in the cold barn.

A soft-hearted farmer took pity on Kikita and started calling around to animal shelters, looking for someone that would take her in and give her a chance to live, but no one would have her.

That is, until he called Deb Devlin at Don’t Forget Us, Pet Us animal shelter in Dartmouth.

Devlin rushed over to the farm where Kikita was born and brought her home in a warm blanket.

“This poor little baby was so helpless, it broke my heart that we hadn’t learned of her sooner,” she said.

When Kikita was back at the sanctuary, they examined her. She was in rough shape.

She couldn’t move her hind end, her bent knees couldn’t extend and she had gotten sick without the protection of her mother’s milk, Devlin said. They also suspected an underlying neurological condition was causing her to tremble.

“She’s a hot mess,” Devlin said.

Kikita was treated with a mix of medications and intermittent splinting to help straighten her legs. The injured lamb recently started ultrasound physical therapy and rehabilitation treatment at Animotion in Stoughton.

Devlin said that Kikita also needs daily range of motion stretching and massage, so the sanctuary is on the lookout for massage or physical therapists willing to donate some of their time to help.

While Devlin says she has a long road ahead, Kikita is staying in high spirits since being taken in by the shelter.

“Despite all that is not working for Kiki, there is something that works perfectly fine, her heart,” she said. “She is so full of love and life.”

And why wouldn’t she be happy after trading her cold, lonely stall for a warm place by the fire with dogs and kids to cuddle and play with her?

With limited mobility, Devlin says she tries to bring Kikita out of the house with her as often as she can — including going on regular coffee runs..

“She loves her trips through the drive-thru at Dartmouth Dunkin’,” she said.

Devlin said that taking on Kikita was no small commitment as she requires round-the-clock care, but the shelter took her anyway “because everyone else said no.”

“It’s how many [of the animals] end up here,” she said.

Those wishing to donate to Don’t Forget Us, Pet Us animal shelter can do so through its Facebook page or by mailing a check to P.O. Box 79124, North Dartmouth, MA 02747.

“We don’t know what her future brings, but we do know that her life matters and every time she brings a smile to someone’s face, or a tear to their eye, she knows that she matters to them too,” Devlin said.