No dog should experience sadness or trauma, yet this brave mama dog faced such an ordeal when she was abandoned on the side of a road, left to fend for herself and her tiny newborn puppies. Despite her heartbreak, she gathered the courage to care for her babies, wrapping her paws around them in a protective embrace, hoping that a compassionate soul would come along to save them.
Saving Lives
In December 2024, Valerie Hicks, the board president of Community Animal Rescue & Adoption (CARA), was on her way to the shelter when she noticed an open crate by the roadside in Mississippi. Intrigued, she stopped and discovered an abandoned dog, whom she later named Mama Evelyn. Upon closer inspection, Hicks was shocked to find seven newborn puppies huddled together, seeking warmth and love from their mother.
Heartbroken to discover that one puppy had not survived, Mama Evelyn looked into Hicks’ eyes with a mix of fear and gratitude as she comforted the anxious dog. Hicks called her rescue partner Christina for assistance, reassuring Mama Evelyn that help had arrived. “Mom was very nervous, maybe the saddest eyes I’ve ever seen. But at the same time, she seemed very grateful,” Hicks recounted to The Dodo.
Upon their arrival at the shelter, a quiet space was prepared for the mother and her puppies to settle in peacefully.
Carefree Life In A Foster Home
Shortly after, a loving foster family stepped up to take in Mama Evelyn and her puppies. The mother continued to nurse and tend to their needs. CARA reported, “This girl is one of the best moms ever. The puppies are strong and healthy, nursing almost constantly, and when not nursing, they are in complete milk comas.” Initially, Mama Evelyn was a bit distrustful of humans due to her harrowing past.
Thanks to the endless love and care in her foster home, Mama Evelyn’s sweet personality began to shine through. The shelter was thrilled to see the pups thriving and enjoying their time together, growing alongside their devoted mother.
In February 2025, Mama Evelyn and her puppies will head to CARA’s foster-based rescue partner in Maine, as they search for their forever homes where they will be showered with love and never abandoned again.
