Mothers come in all shapes and sizes – and nothing can be truer than at Animal Welfare League Queensland (AWLQ) shelters. Heavily pregnant dogs and cats find themselves homeless, abandoned or surrendered.
During the six month breeding season we take in at least 100 pregnant, or new mums and their litters, each month. These mums nurture and raise their own puppies and kittens and often, become surrogates to other, orphaned litters.
This is Evie’s story…Evie arrived at the Gold Coast AWLQ Community Vet Clinic a heavily pregnant stray. The 17 month old Border Collie/Kelpie cross had been found wandering the streets of Ipswich on February 19.
“She wasn’t microchipped, had no other identification, wasn’t claimed by an owner, and found herself in the whelping room at Animal Welfare League Queensland on the Gold Coast ten days later on February 29, giving birth,” AWLQ Beenleigh Rehoming Centre Supervisor Helen Andrews said.
Despite the upheaval of her situation, and the stress of being in a new, unfamiliar environment, Evie whelped five boys and two girl puppies. They were named after the seven dwarves and Evie cared for her new family after being transported to the whelping room at AWLQ Beenleigh Rehoming Centre.
Sadly one of her puppies, Dopey, was to pass away, but Evie raised the other pups, and after eight weeks they were with one of the dedicated foster carers so that Evie’s milk could dry up and she could be made available for adoption herself.
For three, three week old puppies Evie’s wait was to prove a potential lifesaver.
The orphaned Bull Arab/Bull Mastiff cross puppies came to AWLQ after their mother sadly became seriously ill. The pups were moved to the Beenleigh AWLQ Rehoming Centre and the team there prepared for round-the-clock hand rearing in the whelping facility.
“Wherever possible pups need to be raised with their mumma’s and siblings for so many different reasons,” Helen said.
“Most importantly socialisation, bite inhibition and bite control.
“Evie is such a good mumma and has raised her own pups to be such happy, healthy well socialised pups that we thought we might see if she would like to help us out with these three little orphans.”
And Evie didn’t disappoint.
“What an amazing girl she is,” Helen said.
“She didn’t hesitate for a minute to take on these pups, firstly giving them all a big motherly licking and then Evie lay down and let them feed.
“I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room, we were all so proud of her.”
Evie is just one of numerous mother animals called on to help their kind in their greatest time of need.
At AWLQ we are also so lucky to have such a dedicated team of people that are not only looking out for the physical wellbeing, but the social and emotional wellbeing of pups, kittens, and their mothers coming through our doors.
Evie is with a foster carer for another five weeks and will then be available for adoption.
Another mum caring for her litter at AWLQ; your donations help make this possible.
