It was Labor Day when Cara Achterberg drove to the Scott County Animal Shelter during her two-week tour of southern shelters. The plan was to pick up six dogs and transport them north to foster homes in the hopes of finding new, loving families.
She was in Tennessee the previous day when she learned about the surrendered pregnant dog at the shelter.
Check out her website to know who Cara really is and why she went out of her way to take this pregnant dog home.
The dog would need a rabies vaccine and a health certificate to cross the state line into Pennsylvania. Something Cara stressed about considering the timing of the weekend’s festivities.
It was Labor Day so finding a vet was a long shot.
The next morning, she told her husband she would just adopt the dog.
After unloading the donated food and supplies they brought, the couple found that the county shelter did not do adoptions. There were no employees on weekends or holidays either.
The Scott County Humane Society volunteers clean the kennels, feed and walk dogs, take pictures, and do what they can to raise awareness for the dogs.
The pregnant dog was only 27 pounds carrying her puppies. She was speckled like a coonhound and she was very uncomfortable with the shelter’s noise.
Cara knew she wanted to take her home. She called the rescue’s puppy coordinator, Barb, who said, “Gimme a few minutes to figure this out.”
She toured the shelter, talking to the volunteers as she waited on Barb.
Barb eventually called with the information that there was a 24-hour clinic in Purcellville, Virginia, just six hours away.
Dixie the pregnant dog would wag at the sound of Cara’s voice. She got up to eat but went back to lying down afterward so Cara soothed her by promising all her love.
Labor began on a Friday morning after Cara saw Dixie get up at 1 am and make a nest of the towels and blankets.
It took an entire day with Cara staying beside the dog the whole time.
Dixie soon gave birth to 8 healthy puppies. Dixie was perfectly fine and Cara assured her of a job well done as she fed her dog chicken while scratching her ears.
This new mom who would flinch when touched and cowered at loud noises, who was once borderline anti-social, gave birth to 8 beautiful puppies.
Dixie’s leg was once broken but her heart healed with all the love she received.
Dixie gave birth to and raised 8 adorable puppies who were all adopted by 8 super excited families. The happy mother spent another month with Cara recovering before she was spayed and adopted.
Dixie now gets to spend her days watching her new mom teach piano, listening to music and getting all the love she deserves in her new home. She is spoiled and living the good life all dogs deserve.
Meet Dixie and her eight beautiful puppies in the video below!
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