In late April 2026, animal officers in Shafter, California responded to an orchard where a female dog and 10 puppies had been left to fend for themselves in a laundry basket. Subsequently, rescuers made a discovery they did not expect. Since then, the entire troop has left the shelter for a foster family.
This story, relayed by The Dodobegins with an alert received by the animal services of Shafter. Arriving quickly on site, the agents found, under a tree in the orchard, a dog and 10 puppies abandoned in a laundry basket, as shown in the photos released by the association. Pawsitively Saved Rescue.
2 litters for one mother
When counting and observing the little ones, a detail intrigued the speakers: part of the siblings, 6 puppies, seemed older than the remaining 4. They then learned, to their surprise, that the dog had only given birth to the 4 youngest, the other 6 coming from another litter.
“ Despite unimaginable conditions, this dedicated mother did everything possible to protect and care for not only her own puppies, but also a 2nd litter »
After passing through the municipal shelter of Shafterthe little troop was entrusted to a host family at the beginning of June. The mother was given the name Kelly ; her 4 puppies are now 8 weeks old, while the 6 older ones she took care of are 3 months old.
In terms of health, only one member of the canine family receives special attention: Satthe smallest, in whom a heart murmur was detected, that is to say an abnormal noise perceived during auscultation. His 9 companions and Kelly are doing well, and veterinarians expect this murmur to go away as the puppy grows.
In a puppy, a heart murmur does not necessarily announce a serious illness: in certain young animals, it is said to be “innocent” and disappears on its own with growth, which is considered for Sat. Only a thorough examination, possibly supplemented by an echocardiography, allows us to know its nature, and monitoring over time indicates whether it regresses, stabilizes or worsens.
Installed with their host family, Kelly and his 10 protégés should soon be able to seek a permanent home through adoption.
