We can’t lose these puppies…. 

      Helpless and only days old, the 7 puppies were in danger of dying if they did not get food soon.  Their mother had died suddenly the day before and time was fast running out for these little ones.   The family was frantic-what to do to help save those little lives?

      The first call we received at the Center was for 3 puppies that would need to be bottle fed.  Quickly we rounded up people who would be capable of doing this round the clock work.  When we called the family back, we were told there were actually 7, not three.  This necessitated another round of phone calls.  Once we had now rounded up enough bottle feeders for 7 puppies, another phone call was made.

      This time, however, we were told the family had not wanted to wait, they had taken the puppies to a local shelter.  Undeterred, one of the medical staff started calling the shelters to find out where they were.  To make it even more complicated, the shelters were closed that day, so many phone messages were left.  Finally we reached someone.  When they realized that we wanted to take the puppies, they were thrilled!   There was no one to bottle feed them at the shelter and they needed help right away.

      So down we drove to collect the little babies.  They were in good shape, adorable as all babies are and all were soon settled in their foster homes.  They made good progress, gaining weight steadily and growing.  Every time we saw them, they were so different.  We had been told originally that they were Doberman Pinscher blend and as they grew, they began to look more and more like that breed.

      Once they were altered, they were ready to go home.  The foster parents tearfully brought them back.  It was a bittersweet time.  The fosters all wanted them to go to their forever homes, but all had grown attached to their little ones.  Soon all the puppies were adopted by loving families.  We still see some of them sometimes, one was at a local beach recently and was recognized by one of our staff, one came in to say hi. 

      These little ones will always be extra special in our memories.  Caring for them when they are helpless is a joy and all the work we went to in order to get them here will not be quickly forgotten.