A pregnant collie mix arrived at SAVE in October and gave birth to seven healthy puppies shortly afterwards. Mother and pups are doing well and the shelter hopes to find homes for all of them.
Nicknamed Mama, the pregnant dog came a long way to have her pups. She was found in Monroe County, Ohio, and was rescued from a dog pound there that has a high rate of euthanisation, said Donielle Killian, co-director of operations at SAVE since July 2006.
Volunteer dog trainer Adrienne Carson drove all the way to Scranton, Pa., to collect Mama and other pets. Ms. Carson, who worked with Friends to Homeless Animals (FOA) before it merged with SAVE earlier this year, has her own dog training business, Busy Paws, but still finds time to help out the shelter.
Ms. Carson has been lending a hand since July and has run several transport missions rescuing dogs from the Ohio dog pound that has supplied several shipments of seven to ten highly adoptable animals, most of which have been successfully placed in homes through SAVE, according to Ms. Carson.
Since SAVE's first transport, more dogs have been rescued from other municipal shelters. "This is what it's all about, saving as many animals as we can," said SAVE's Executive Director Karen Azarchi.
Four days after she arrived at SAVE, Mama had her puppies.
"We eagerly agreed to take the pregnant collie mix and 5 other puppies and dogs slated for euthanasia," said Ms. Azarchi. "A couple of days after the collie arrived, she went into labor and delivered 7 adorable healthy puppies, 4 boys and 3 girls."
According to Ms. Killian, Mama is about two years old. The pups are now 6 weeks old and will be ready for their debut showing to prospective adopters on December 8. They will not be released before December 15. Prospective adopters will be screened to ensure their suitability and will pay $250 to cover the cost of neutering or spaying, as well as three distemper, rabies, and kennel cough vaccines.
"The staff at SAVE have become very attached to these puppies," said Ms. Killian who reported that the shelter's veterinarian and Ms. Azarchi were at the shelter until after midnight seeing them born. "Many of the staff saw them being born, so we want to make sure they thrive with the right owners."
As of last Thursday, the shelter has two applications for the puppies from individuals who want them, sight unseen.
The puppies are expected to grow to between 60 and 80 pounds. The biggest, dubbed Macho Man, is already weighing in at 12 pounds, leading some at the shelter to speculate that their father might have been a St. Bernard. The smallest of the litter is Snarkles, but like his siblings he has made great strides.
Besides Macho Man and Snarkles, there are two other male pups: Lightning and Thunder. The females have been named Spot On, Babie, and Lightfoot.
"It has been a wonderful experience," commented Ms. Azarchi. "The puppies are growing fast and will be available for public viewing next week and adoption in 2 weeks. The mom is also up for adoption and is the most wonderful girl."
Having faced criticism earlier in the year that it housed animals unsuitable for adoption as family pets, the shelter has begun an outreach program to municipal shelters such as the one in Ohio.
"When we have the room, we are eager to find adoptable dogs whereever we can," said Ms. Azarchi. "At municipal shelters, when they run out of room, they are mandated to euthanise those dogs that have been there the longest. These are highly adoptable dogs and puppies and our goal is to save as many animals as we can."
For more information about SAVE, A Friend to Homeless Animals, call 609-921-6122 or visit the web site at www.savehomelessanimals.org.