In a cold, empty field with nothing but sand and thorny bushes, a golden-white pitbull mother stood alone. At the rescuer’s first sight, her one paw was lifted, and she was barking loudly. Her body shivered. The wind was freezing, but she barked again and again, trying to scare away the rescuers. She didn’t know they had come to help.
She thought her puppies were in danger. Her eyes were locked on the man with the camera. She barked louder and showed her sharp teeth. Not because she was mean, but because she was scared. She had been left all alone in this harsh place. But she was still protecting her babies with everything she had.
She hadn’t eaten or drunk water in days. Still, she stayed near the spot where she had hidden her puppies under the branches. The rescuers saw that she wasn’t ready to trust them. They gently placed food on the ground to lead her into a cage. She was too hungry to resist. When she walked in to eat the last piece, the door quietly closed behind her.
Now, the rescuers could search for her puppies.
They heard small cries from the bushes. Carefully, the female rescuer wearing yellow and black gloves pushed through the sharp branches, not caring about her scratched hands or cold face. The male rescuer helped, moving the thick bushes out of the way. Finally, they saw two tiny puppies-just two weeks old. One was white. The other was golden-white. Both were cold, but alive and healthy.
The rescuer removed her gloves, not wanting anything but bare love between her skin and their softness. She smiled, kissed their tiny faces, and handed one to her teammate. A smile lit the male rescuer’s face, too. They checked the area again and again to make sure no pup was left behind.
The mother barked as they brought her to the van, looking everywhere for her babies. But once she saw them beside her, she calmed down.
At the shelter, she arrived like a hero. Other dogs barked as if cheering. She was finally safe. Inside the warm new cage, she curled her body around her puppies and licked them gently. They started feeding. She ate too quickly and hungrily. Then playfully took a few bites from her puppies’ plate! Her tail wagged. She finally let the rescuers pet her and rub her chest.
Now she knows she is safe, her puppies are safe. And they are all loved.
