Two months ago, we got a 911 call late on a Saturday night from Terri Cooper, President of G.R.E.A.T. Rescue of NE FL. A distressed mama golden retriever, confined in a small crate without food or water, was giving birth to pups and vehemently rejecting them. The owner was hospitalized for an extended period, and the dogs were getting very limited, inconsistent care. The woman's sister contacted G.R.E.A.T., pleading for help. The two adult dogs were locked in very small crates, and the female dog had just had puppies.
Despite being ready to help, G.R.E.A.T. Rescue lacked a neonate foster. Fortunately, our neonatal expert Erin Kupcha graciously offered to help, despite knowing that it meant bottle feeding around the clock and disrupting the lives of her family for the next eight weeks.
A plan started coming together. Two volunteers, Bev from G.R.E.A.T. and Chris from FUR, who happened to be former sisters-in-law, led the rescue mission. They reached this mama and pups and transported them to Erin. The Daddy dog was also in the house alone in a small crate, and Bev took him home to foster initially.
As they settled in and we assessed the situation, we realized the mama wasn't really rejecting them. She was very young, starved and traumatized. Once she was given food, water and a comfortable place to rest, she began to care for her pups.
After watching the family via a baby camera for a few hours, Erin realized that six pups were holding their own, but one was struggling. Despite attempts to stabilize him, it became evident that the struggling pup needed emergency care. We immediately took him to Capital Veterinary Hospital, where he received excellent care from Dr. Apolo and Dr. Nichols — but that's a story for another day.
Due to the lack of care during pregnancy, our sweet mama dog didn't have any milk for the pups, so Erin started bottle feeding around the clock. Thankfully, after about a week of good nutrition, her milk started to come in and by week 2, she was feeding them entirely on her own. Although she is very young and had a very rough start, she turned out to be an amazing mom to her pups.
G.R.E.A.T. and FUR worked together every step of the way, and we were in agreement on every decision. Rarely do the stars align so well, but it was a wonderful experience working with Terri, Judy and G.R.E.A.T. We’ve worked together periodically over the years and we’ve come to know and respect them.
Today, we celebrate the adoption of a mother who was practically a puppy herself, the father who was also mistreated but still the sweetest of dogs, and six healthy pups destined for loving homes.
In the intricate world of animal rescue, all too often marked by debates and conflicts, it was truly refreshing to collaborate with a rescue whose values and mission aligned seamlessly with ours. This story underscores the power of teamwork — a testament to what can be achieved when we work together.
𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗣𝗟𝗘 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗔𝗖𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗚𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗢𝗡!
Every donation is DOUBLED up to $20,000, and new Monthly Donations are TRIPLED through 12/31. Several generous donors have agreed to double all donations, and triple new monthly donations, through the end of the year.
To Donate:
— Credit Card: www.floridaurgentrescue.org/donate
— Venmo: @FloridaUrgentRescue
— PayPal: floridaurgentrescue@gmail.com
— CashApp: $FloridaUrgentRescue
— Mail: Florida Urgent Rescue
7643 Gate Parkway #104-27
Jacksonville, FL 32256
𝗙𝗨𝗥 𝗠𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗛𝗟𝗬 𝗚𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗠
Sick and injured animals need help fast. Every donation helps, but Monthly donors give us flexibility to respond immediately when there is an emergency. When there is a hoarding case or a hurricane, a dog with a gunshot wound or a cruelty case, we have to act quickly. We don't have time to do a fundraiser, and wait for those funds to get to us. Your monthly donation can help us save lives again and again. To learn more, please visit: https://www.floridaurgentrescue.org/donatemonthly
Florida Urgent Rescue is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, a 2023 Top Rated Nonprofit on Great Nonprofits, and the recipient of a 2023 Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency by Guidestar. Learn more about FUR at: www.floridaurgentrescue.org