When the internet found this image of a female dog literally sitting in a grave site, feels were aching. People from all over the world asked for a background story on the dog who appeared to be grieving their human. It's not unheard of, after all. Dogs have been known to spend their days at grave sites of their owner or refuse to leave the spot they last saw them. Dogs are loyal like that, but this is not actually one of those stories. This dog is in this hole for a very different reason. Take a look.
Whatcha Got There, Girl?
This story is about a different kind of loyalty and dedication. Graveyard staff noticed this dog had further dug a small cavity in the ground and would sit inside all day. As it turns out, this dog was homeless... she was also a mom. She had nowhere to go when she had her litter so, like parents the world over, she "made do." The different fears she had for her young must have been compounded when she caught the attention of humans, but thankfully, she had no reason to fear.
Cooped Up In A Hole And Terrified
Small as this hole is, the brave mama managed to keep all four puppies happy, safe and comfortable (though her reality was probably anything but that). The single-parent canine family had hope and each other. Taking one day at a time is painfully uncertain, which is why the help they got came just in time. Local animal lovers decided to help the homeless bundles of cute, so they started trying to coax Mom out of the hole with food.
Fear Is Strong, But Hunger Is Stronger
After a lot of hesitation on the part of the mama dog and a lot of patience on the part of the kind people trying to help, she took the bait. Slow at first and then faster, the starving animal mowed down on the food with great fervor. Her mood seemed to improve as soon as she was well fed. It was now time to collect her little ones. In desperate times like these, dogs can be highly protective, so it was important that she understood no harm would come to her offspring. Body language was key.
Cute As Ever
One by one, the rescuers carefully collected the cute little fluff balls from the makeshift grave site "home" they'd been sharing with their mother. The puppies appeared to be in good health, but it can be difficult to tell if dogs have contracted illnesses that are not visible. It was important that the dogs see a vet right away but first, a good nap. It's been a long day.
This Is What "Rest Assured" Looks Like
The stress of not having a home plus the stress of getting rescued, developing trust and changing scenery took a lot out of the young family. They got to sleep in this cot for a few hours, finally aware they were safe and would be well cared for by their new human friends. After their well-deserved rest, there was a lot of work to do in determining the health of the whole fam.
Serious Chow Time (Though They Can't Actually Eat Dog Chow Yet)
The puppies were much more relaxed now that their mother was rested and felt safe. The puppies are seen here suckling on their mother. Her lack of nutrition significantly affected her ability to produce milk so the babies were finally getting what they needed after all this time. If dogs could smile...
Checkup Time
Finally, vets were able to carefully comb through the dogs' medical states. Ultrasounds, vaccines, de-worming and other tests were conducted to ensure the whole bundle of "adorbs" would have a bright, healthy future. After the clean bill of health was made official, the dogs were ready for their forever homes. The physical affection and genuine love these dogs received for the first time made all the difference in their disposition.
Happy Mama
If this face doesn't say "thank you," nothing will. In the first photo of this loving dog, her ears were back and there was clearly fear in her eyes. She needed time to trust people, but as soon as she did, she made a future for her pups. Parents of any species are determined to do well by their young and give them the best opportunity possible. Thanks to her kind human friends, this mama got to do just that.
Main and collage image via Facebook / Vesna Mihajloski
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