If a canine spends a significant portion of his existence on the streets all by himself, struggling for scraps to endure, it is highly probable that he will lose all faith in humans, and any efforts to rescue him would encounter resistance.
Such was the case with a stray dog named Shania.
Whenever a rescuer attempted to approach her, she would nervously assess them before fleeing as swiftly as possible.
Nonetheless, because she was greatly pregnant and was about to deliver at any moment, the rescuers realized they had to remove her from the freezing conditions without delay.
One Expectant Mother
Upon learning that a record-breaking snowstorm was on the horizon, the rescuers began to truly feel anxious.
Fortunately, someone alerted them that Shania had already welcomed her litter, which kept her close to her puppies, preventing her from fleeing. Seeing this as the ideal chance to finally secure her, the rescuers rushed to the site and successfully took her under their protection.
“They eventually managed to capture her. We got her settled in, and that marked the beginning of her journey with us,” Leesa shared with The Dodo.
Right after Shania and her puppies arrived, they underwent a thorough examination. All of the puppies were at a very healthy weight, which was hardly surprising given how attentive and caring Shania was towards her pups.
However, being feral, she struggled with trusting and engaging with people.
“She was very evasive. We began feeding her by hand, taking things slowly. But she had such a delightful disposition. She never snapped at anyone. She was consistently gentle and patient,” she remarked.
The rescuers opted to let her acclimatize at her own rhythm before they attempted to attach a leash around her neck. However, she was quite resistant to it.
Anytime she felt it on her body, Shania would enter fight or flight mode, desperately trying to liberate herself.
Fortunately, it didn’t take long for her to realize that a leash wouldn’t cause her harm, and after that moment, she had no issues with it.
“We took her to a store, and she would trot along beside us, always making sure not to put any pressure on the leash,” Leesa noted.
A Joyful Family
With such a robust mother and surrounded by caring humans, Shania’s puppies thrived and grew strong and gorgeous.
Each one of them successfully found loving forever homes, where they continued to receive much affection and admiration.
Shania remained with Leesa, who ultimately took her home and introduced her to the life of a house dog.
There, she met Otis – the most lovable pup ever, who quickly became her closest companion.
Shania was enamored with spending moments with Otis, who helped her truly emerge from her shell and start relishing her new existence.
“Being with him and our other dogs, Banjo and Hades, made her feel more at ease with us,” Leesa commented.
Shania was the most joyful girl ever. She craved affection at all times to the extent that she would even jump onto the couch just to snuggle with her humans.
However, her happiness reached new heights when she discovered she was adopted!
“The most confident I have ever seen her was during our initial visit to her adoptive home,” she added.
She was finally part of a family!
Shania now enjoys her days living the dreams of every dog. She relishes fun playdates, leisurely walks, and snug cuddles with her humans.
Being able to leave her previous life behind and fully embrace her new one allowed Shania to truly flourish.