“A friend of mine who works at the shelter sent me her picture; she knows that I have a soft spot for the mamas at the shelter,” Dawson told The Dodo. “I just couldn’t stop thinking about Melody and her puppies. Her will to survive and take care of her puppies, as skinny as she was, is amazing.”
Last month, this sweet mama dog named Melody found herself abandoned at a Texas animal shelter shortly after giving birth to ten puppies.
Melody was underweight, frail and emaciated, suggesting she had been neglected. At least her surrendering gave Melody and her puppies a chance to be properly cared for and loved. But to Melody, her sad face says it all: she was lost, confused, and heartbroken at being abandoned.
Source:
The Dodo
Despite sweet Melody’s broken heart, the dog clung to life for the sake of her newborn puppies. Even though she was skinny and underfed, she always made sure her puppies were well nourished.
Source:
The Dodo
Patti Dawson, who runs Dallas DogRRR – Rescue.Rehab.Reform, heard about Melody’s situation from a friend of hers who also works at the shelter. After hearing Melody’s story, Patti knew she had to do something.
Melody’s plight was certainly moving. But there was one problem: being a female pitbull, the odds of Melody being adopted from the shelter were low. Even worse, once her puppies were weaned, Melody’s days would be numbered.
“She was nearing her deadline,” Patti shared. “So I put a plea out on Facebook looking for a foster. We had a foster that ended up stepping up for her and the puppies.”
Source:
The Dodo
After being taken in to a foster home, Melody and her puppies underwent an amazing transformation. Both her weight and her spirits lifted.
It’s almost like Melody realized she and her pups were in a safe space. Just look at that face!
Source:
The Dodo
“They’re thriving,” Patti said. “Melody is adjusting to the home and putting on weight. Her puppies are good and chunky. The transition was perfect.”
Source:
The Dodo
Over time, Melody and her puppies will be put up for adoption through Dallas DogRRR.
In the end, Melody’s abandonment turned out to be a blessing in disguise. However, Melody is not the only mama dog out there with this story.
Always adopt, don’t shop. Many shelters have dogs waiting to be loved.
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By Arianna Etemadieh
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Arianna Etemadieh is a contributing writer at Shareably. Arianna is based in San Francisco and can be reached at [email protected].