By Karen Petit
This is the story of a mother’s love and resilience and her determination to survive.
It’s also the story of a group of people who acted quickly when the pregnant mother needed help and moved heaven and earth to save her and her children.
Tracy woke up early Monday morning in labor. For a person, no problem! Follow what you learned in birthing classes, call the doctor, and go to the hospital at the appropriate time.
It wasn’t quite so easy for Tracy. She ended up in labor and gave birth in several different locations!
A chocolate Labrador Retriever, Tracy was kicked out of her home when she went into labor. The people with whom she lived decided that a mama dog and a passel of puppies was more trouble then she was worth on a Monday, so they called Animal Control in Union, South Carolina, to come and take her away.
Animal Control officers responded quickly and went to get Tracy. They also made an important call – one to a nearby animal sanctuary called Dreamweaver Farm, home of Carolina Poodle Rescue (CPR).
Tracy was no poodle. She had no fancy clip, no pedigree – only a new mother’s love and heart. Heather Sealy, head of animal control in Union County, has a big heart, too. Even though she was on vacation, she interrupted her own time off to make calls on Tracy’s behalf. She knew that even though Tracy wasn’t a poodle, the no-kill sanctuary at Dreamweaver Farm wouldn’t turn Tracy away.
And they didn’t.
CPR director Donna Ezell was on the way to the Animal Shelter to pick up a small dog when Heather’s phone call came in: Was there room at Dreamweaver Farm for … well, more than just one more.
Heather relayed how Tracy had given birth to Puppy 1 as the Animal Control personnel were taking her out of their truck. The puppy fell to the ground, but survived. By the time Donna reached the Union shelter, Tracy had given birth to Puppy 2 and Puppy 3.
Donna rushed to get Tracy to Dreamweaver Farms where staff members already were preparing a room for her. Donna held her breath the 14 miles back, hoping that Tracy would wait to deliver any other puppies until she was in a secure location. Within seconds of getting to her room and bed, Puppy 4 was born. Over the course of the day, Tracy had a total of 11 puppies – 10 of them survived. Seven are brown like their mother – three daughters and four sons. Three are black – one daughter and two sons – who may be more like their father.
At each step along the way, Tracy was sweet and accommodating, perhaps realizing that people cared about her and her plight and were doing their best to care for her.
Tracy’s story has brought buckets of tears to those following her on the Facebook page of Carolina Poodle Rescue.
Tracy’s babies, unharmed by their rough ride into the world, are doing fine. Over the next weeks, they’ll live in a happy cocoon of sleeping, eating and growing. The CPR staff will adjust their schedules as they do every time a “tail” of need comes their way. Tracy is contentedly watching over them and seems happy to be in an air-conditioned room with lots to eat to help her make enough milk to feed her brood.
But then people and puppies will face a daunting challenge -- the challenge of finding homes for the babies and a home for their mother.
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