Family is what you make it. A rescue dog at the Ruff Start Rescue in Minnesota taught us this valuable lesson once again.
According to NBC affiliate KARE 11, a dog named Poppy unexpectedly died after giving birth to a litter of ten puppies. “We frantically started figuring out our next move with the babies,” Poppy’s foster parent Lexi Johnson said.
“Another volunteer was over until 11:30 that night helping bottle feed. And throughout the evening, my husband and I were up every three hours getting food in their bellies… and it was taking over 1.5 hours each time.”
Once the Johnsons learned that another rescue dog, Pepper, had just recently lost her entire litter, they decided to be her foster parents. “When she got to our house, we brought her in the puppy room and she immediately sat next to the litter,” Johnson explained.
“I started placing puppies around her and she laid down and the puppies instinctively hobbled towards her and started nursing.”
‘She’s Been Nothing Short Of An Amazing Miracle’
In a Facebook post, Johnson uploaded photos of Pepper with her adoptive brood.
“The babies were all thriving with their humans, but the best place for them is with a mama who can not only give them some good milk, but teach them dog things, behaviors we as humans can’t,” she wrote.
“I cried again last night but these tears were happy tears. Tears knowing that mama Poppy would be so appreciative of Pepper taking over the mama role.”
How You Can Help
According to People, the litter will be available for adoption at the end of August.
Please check the Ruff Start Rescue website at that time if you or anyone you know would be interested in adopting or fostering these precious puppies. You can find out more about their foster program here.
If you are unable to adopt, you can also make a donation to the rescue to help out the pups and other dogs who are looking for their forever homes! Donate to Ruff Start Rescue here!
Have you ever fostered a mama dog before? Do you think your dog would take in a litter of new puppies as their own? Let us know in the comments below!
