Sometimes you open an email and read along while your mind is on something else... (like when to download those two dozen pet pics you took just yesterday) and you find yourself suddenly brought up short. This story took my mind off of everything else I was worrying about or thinking about, and it gave me the most wonderful feeling of hope, love, and caring. It's what Christmas is all about. It's what we, we pet people all over the world, live to see happen - if not with US, then with someone else. Someone as caring and fantastic as Katie Coombs.
You will want to share this wonderful story and all the pictures, too! Please, feel free! In its entirety, here's what Katie wrote to me:
Hi Yvonne,
My mom is Mary Coombs she thought you might like to hear the story of what has happened to us, over the last few days.
We have been working with a new local rescue organization called Halfway There Dog Rescue. You can check out their page on Facebook, or http://www.halfwaythererescue.com. Over the last few months, my boyfriend and I have fostered puppies and adult dogs, even a pregnant Beagle who gave birth to her puppies at our house (a really cool experience!).
Last week, a Plott Hound mix (who we've named Charlie) was found in a field and surrendered to a high kill shelter, relatively close to where we live, outside of Charlotte, NC. She had recently been a mother, but according to the shelter, the puppies were nowhere to be found. After a week, no one claimed her, so she was pulled by Halfway There, vetted and brought to us to foster.
As of yesterday, Charlie had been with us for 4 days.
Mid afternoon, Sarah Lewis, who runs our rescue, called me with
an emergency. A mother lab-mix had been hit by a car and killed, leaving
ten puppies behind. The pups are less than three weeks old, their eyes
and ears haven't even opened yet!
Unsure how long it had been since Charlie had nursed her own pups, we hopped in the car and drove down to the shelter where the puppies had been surrendered. After bringing her in to meet the pups, it became obvious that it was a match made in heaven. Charlie took on the ten new pups, has been nursing them and treating them as her own ever since!
I have heard stories like this before, but never seen it
actually happen! We were ready and willing to take on the task of
bottle-feeding these little guys and will continue to help supplement their
diets with milk replacer. However, Ms. Charlie has done a GREAT job
with them and made the task of being their Foster Mom and Dad even more
rewarding than we could have imagined!
Its just amazing to think that, while people are getting iPads and cell phones for Christmas, these little pups got the best gift of all. The gift of life!
Wishing you and yours a very Happy Holiday season!
Sincerely,
Katie Coombs
Can I hear a collective, "Awwwwww....."
Now those puppies really look adorable. How many are there? And did she have a hard time giving birth?
Posted by: San Diego Puppy | January 03, 2013 at 04:22 AM
Awwww great story!
Posted by: Carol Bryant | January 02, 2013 at 12:53 PM