When mail carrier Kim Novak recently noticed a mama dog and puppies alone in a ditch near an Arkansas freeway, she knew she had to do something. First, she called a local shelter, but they were at capacity. Next, she tried animal control, but the officer
told her the case was beyond their jurisdiction. Finally, she contacted Jak's Second Chance Rescue Ranch, a nonprofit shelter.
At last, help was on the way.
When rescuer Chris York arrived, he quickly located the dog bed, but unfortunately, the pups were nowhere to be found. Linda Daugherty, another volunteer rescuer, kept watch from her car, hoping the pups might return. Eventually, she caught a bit of movement out of the corner of her eye — it was the mother dog, nervously lurking nearby. Surely, the puppies were close, too.
With help from Tommye Watts, a local dog expert, rescuers set traps around the area. Watts scoured the wilderness and found the puppies snuggled in a bed of briars. Rescuers carefully grabbed the pups and wrapped them in a T-shirt. Now they just had to catch the mama.
Team members patiently waited all evening. Then, just around midnight, the mama dog wandered into their trap.
Rescuers brought the whole family to the ranch, where they quickly settled in.
“[The mama dog] was so exhausted, she ate and drank an entire bowl of water and just completely zonked out,” Jak's Second Chance Rescue Ranch director Jenny Bridges told The Dodo. “Her babies nursed, and she was just visibly grateful to be inside and safe.”
The animal lovers felt their hearts melt as they watched the mama relax.
“We all know how it feels to be a parent and how we’d do anything at all to protect our kids, and this momma dog was no different,” Bridges said. “As soon as she realized we were there to help her and not to hurt her, she just melted and accepted pets and treats and love.”
Rescuers named the mama Jolene and named the puppies Dolly, Bowie, Jagger, Ozzy, Olivia and Prince. They coordinated with Forgotten Paws of Northwest Arkansas, who agreed to take the whole family into their care.
Thanks to the tireless efforts of these animal advocates, this fuzzy family is out of the wilderness and into a life of safety.
