Love gives dogs a sense of belonging. When we care for our furry companions, they relax and show the sweetest parts of themselves.
Unfortunately, not all dogs have loving forever families.
Some dogs have careless owners who dump them without any regret. All of a sudden, dogs feel scared and confused. They wonder why the people they trusted didn’t come back.
A family of golden retrievers in California found themselves in that exact situation. Instead of enjoying their lives with their humans, they were left in an empty house with no idea what would come next.
A Family Left Behind
When the officers at Fresno Humane Animal Services learned that a family had moved out from their home and left their pets behind, they sprang into action.
As soon as they reached the location and opened the front door, they found two adult golden retrievers and a litter of puppies.
Animal control officer Priscilla Wolcott arrived expecting scared dogs and a difficult rescue. Instead, two Golden Retrievers ran to her with wagging tails.
Although they spent two weeks alone, they still greeted her as if they had been waiting for rescue the entire time.
“[T[here was no water on the property,” Wolcott told The Dodo. “There was no food on the property.”
At first glance, there were no puppies in sight. Wolcott noticed that the mama dog was desperate to show her something, and she followed her.
The moment Wolcott gave her space, the mother took her to her puppies.
There were eight tiny golden puppies curled up together inside a corner of an old chicken coop.
Their mother had kept them safe and fed although she had nothing. It was clear that she never stopped trying to protect them.
Rescued Just in Time
Although abandoning the Golden retriever is sadly familiar in Fresno County, this rescue still surprised Wolcott. It was rare to find a whole family left behind.
“This was the first time that I had a whole family of golden retrievers abandoned on a property,” she said.
Wolcott was moved by the dogs’ reaction when they realized help had arrived. They were so relieved and happy to see them.
Each pup walked into the crate on their own, tails moving with hope.
“They were immediately jumping all over me, like, ‘Take me with you,’” Wolcott said.
She could tell by the look in their eyes that they felt safe.
The entire doggy family was transported to Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue and Sanctuary in California.
The shelter staff confirmed that the younger adult, Kayla, was the nine-month-old daughter of the mother dog, Tabatha. The puppies settled in quickly.
“The puppies are now five weeks old and showing their true personalities,” Audrey Farrington, board chair at Homeward Bound, told The Dodo. “Tabatha is a devoted mom who only leaves their side for brief breaks for naps in the sunshine.”
A Brighter Future
Although they had a rough start in life, the puppies were hopeful about their future. They soon received the greatest news.
All eight puppies have adopters waiting, and Tabatha and Kayla do as well.
Before long, every member of this doggy family will head to a home where they will be immensely loved and cared for.
As time goes by, they will forget that they were ever abandoned and rejected. The pups will finally discover how wonderful life can be.
