The Heartwarming Rescue of Mama Dog and Her Babies
This Christmas has definitely been one for the books—probably the best in my 50 years. While I’ll always cherish Christmas Day hikes with the “Fab 4” (Chip, Levi, Raiyna, and Todd), this year brought a whole new level of meaning. A family to call my own, a renewed purpose, and the humbling honor of being able to step in for a mother dog- and her 5 babies- in desperate need of safety, care, and support.
A few weeks ago, I learned about this mother dog and her 10-day-old puppies. They were found at an organic waste management facility. While the workers knew she was around, they didn't know she'd had puppies until they stumbled upon on laying in the dirt on the ground with his umbilical cord still attached ("Cowboy"). So they went searching for the others and discovered Mama Dog and the other puppies under a heavy, metal trash container.
When I'd originally learned about the family, I tried hard to find a safe place with a local, reputable rescue for them to go; but, sadly, there wasn't one who could welcome them into their program. They're all maxed out right now.
Even though we weren’t in a position to bring in more dogs, we couldn't risk this family falling into the wrong hands; especially with all the horrifying things happening in the dog world today (dog flipping, bait dog acquisition, backyard breeding, the constant re-homing, dog dumping, general lack of responsibility and commitment, and so on).
So....we made room.
Last Sunday, Steve and I welcomed Mama Dog and her 5 beautiful 10-day-old puppies into our care. Tragically, three puppies had already passed before they were found at the waste management facility, and another passed shortly after. But the little ones who made it are safe now.
It was originally said that "Cowboy" had been rejected by Mama Dog, so he was bounced from home to home as a baby and bottle fed; but ... I don't think this was the case. Not from what I'm seeing. Regardless, I'm thrilled to say he's back with Mama now....nursing, regaining his strength and health-- and she's taking amazing care of him. In just a matter of days, he went from being super tiny, malnourished, weak, and lifeless-- to much stronger, energetic, and fighting back with the same strength and spirit he (undoubtedly) inherited from his brave Mama.
Mama Dog herself is stunning—likely a Catahoula and Aussie Shepherd mix (?). She's intelligent, athletic, strong, and affectionate. Although she'd been living in survival mode out in the unforgivable CA desert for who-knows-how-long, one thing's for certain. She's an incredible dog.
As for the pups- they're definitely getting more mobile... feeling good, and shaping up to be gorgeous little ones--- likely with some bully breed influence. Their eyes are just starting to open, and every day brings something new and exciting. They’re going to grow into beautiful, healthy, resilient dogs.
We'll be following Dr. Jean Dodd's vaccination protocol, and are hoping to get Mama spayed after the babies are fully weaned.... which leads me to another "Please Help" post.
Caring for Mama Dog and her babies—especially little Cowboy—comes with some challenges and we do have immediate needs like: funding for food, vet care, and a few more supplies added to the Amazon Wish List (like *reusable, washable* pee pads!).
Please know that every donation, no matter the amount, makes a huge, tangible difference. Here’s how you can help:
💛 Ways to Support
Donate to our GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/5d51019e
Shop from our Amazon Wish List:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1LTPNJNCPUG9J?ref_=wl_share
Support Mama and Babies through PackFit purchases! PackFit is donating 50% of proceeds from book sales, PackFit Shop items, dog walking meditations, 1:1 training, and the online courses and masterclasses. https://www.packfit.net
You can also support the effort through sharing our plight.
Every dollar, every share, and every purchase brings us closer to giving this family the life they deserve. Together, we’re saving not just 6 dogs but also shaping better futures for the families who will love them (you can bet we'll be getting everyone set up for a most
Babies will be ready for their new homes around 8 - 9 weeks old.
Thank you for being part of this incredible journey. Things like this truly do take a village. ❤️
