Cora, a mother dog, was heartbroken.
The shelter workers at Marin Humane Society in Novato, California, could see the pain in her eyes and her tense, frightened demeanor.
Her world had been turned upside down when her previous owner abandoned her and another dog at the shelter, but kept her four puppies.
The bond between animal mothers and their offspring is profound.
Early separation can be devastating, even fatal.
Mothers can develop complications from not nursing their babies long enough, and the puppies can fall ill or even die without their mother’s milk in the first four weeks of life.
According to the American Kennel Club, a mother dog devotes all her attention and care to her pups for the first three weeks after birth.
Dr. Ann Hohenhaus, a staff doctor at NYC’s Animal Medical Center, noted that a mother dog “doesn’t want to be away from her babies for more than a second.”
When Cora was left at the shelter, the workers made efforts to locate the person who abandoned her, hoping to persuade them to surrender the puppies as well.
Cora and her puppies needed each other.
It was unsafe for the puppies to be separated from Cora so early.
Cora spent her days hiding in the corner of her kennel, clearly distressed and reluctant to engage with anyone.
Everything changed when a shelter worker entered Cora’s pen with a pet carrier.
Cora’s ears perked up at the sound of puppy yips coming from the carrier.
The worker carefully lifted the first puppy out of the carrier.
As soon as Cora heard her puppy whimper, she rushed from her hiding spot and began sniffing her babies, her tail wagging wildly as they emerged one by one from the carrier.
Cora recognized her babies by scent and followed them as they frolicked around her.
She even climbed into the pet carrier to coax the last one out.
The puppies scampered all over their mother, and then something unexpected happened.
Cora climbed onto the worker’s lap, showing genuine affection and gratitude for the reunion with her babies.
The puppies attempted to nurse while Cora nestled next to the staff member, visibly relaxed and happy.
The shelter staff named the puppies Carson, Moseley, Branson, and Edith, inspired by characters from Downton Abbey, in honor of their mother, Cora.
The puppies were just as thrilled to see their mother as she was to see them.
Thanks to a heartfelt video shared on the shelter’s Facebook page, it didn’t take long for Cora and her puppies to find loving adoptive families.
While waiting to grow bigger and stronger before heading to their forever homes, the puppies thrived at the shelter with their mother.
They slept on fuzzy rugs that smelled like Cora and took plenty of naps.
They were incredibly adorable!
The transformation in Cora, from a frightened and heartbroken mother to a joyful and content one, touched many hearts on Facebook.
One user, Louann Kenyon, commented, “She’s beautiful. She looks like a totally different girl with her babies back.”
The reunion of Cora and her puppies is a heartwarming tale of a mother’s love and the power of second chances.
It’s a precious story that serves as a reminder of the importance of compassion and care for all creatures.
Watch the video below to witness their endearing reunion.
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