Some Kind Of Joke
This was a joke, right? It must be a mistake, right? Her mind is awash in panic and confusion as Mariesa stands frozen in place. She is utterly speechless in response to what the veterinarian just informed her.
She looks at Storie, her pitiful dog, who is laying on the mat in front. She touches the dog's soft fur while observing a tear slide down its cheek. A horrible sensation then strikes Mariesa's stomach pit as she casts a glimpse down at her dog's enormous tummy. Nothing would ever again be the same.
A Family Full Of Dogs
It was on a cold and crisp day in Fall when Mariesa and Chris decided to adopt a dog from their local animal shelter. Since they first got together, the two lovebirds bonded over their love of dogs and pets, but with 10 dogs already in their home, the couple knew they could only choose one dog at the shelter.
When they chanced upon a dog in one part of the kennel, both Mariesa and Chris were smitten. This dog was female with pleading eyes and a wagging tail; the couple fell in love immediately. But they had no idea their world was about to get turned upside down.
The Dog They Wanted
As soon as Mariesa and Chris laid their eyes on this particular dog, they immediately fell in love. The dog, who upon seeing them, approached and started to lick their hands. She was pregnant and Mariesa could see that it was this pet that needed the most care among the others.
Right then and there, they decided that this brown pitbull called Storie, was the one. But what they found out later made them seriously rethink their decision to adopt.
A Reputation They Did Not Deserve
Although Pit bulls have received a terrible reputation, this is nothing more than one big understanding. You see, the features of this dog breed would be a large head and a muscular physique, although this is not indicative of the risk they actually pose.
Even though this is the case, a lot of US states have deemed it illegal to have a pit bull as a pet. That is the reason animal shelters take care of so many pit bulls. This only made Mariesa and Chris want to help the dogs even more, but the couple had no idea what fate was planning for them.
She Needed Love
Storie needed more love than ever, especially with her condition. There was no way that Chris and Mariesa would ever leave her at the shelter like that and vowed to make things right for their new family member.
It was hard enough that she was carrying pups in her belly, but a shelter was definitely not the right place for her to give birth, let alone raise her babies! However, that was not the only problem with Storie. As it turns out, her condition was much more twisted.
Where Were The Pups?
The staff at the center informed Mariesa and Chris that it was time for Storie to deliver the puppies. In fact, she should have given birth by then. What was going on?
This animal-loving couple knew right away that their poor pit bull was in trouble. They had to make a decision on the spot since it could make the difference between life and death for the dog and her unborn puppies. But nobody could have expected what would happen next.
Helping The Soon-To-Be Mom
Time was running out and the couple knew they had to be quick and they had to make a decision. Storie needed to be taken care of right that instant, but the couple had to think it over some more.
While the couple was discussing what to do, Storie came over and rested her beautiful face on her potential new owner’s knee and pleaded with her big brown eyes. Mariesa’s heart sunk at the sight before her, and she could have sworn she saw a tear trickle down Storie’s cheek. Mariesa came to a decision then. But it was a decision she’d live to regret.
The Perfect Plan
The couple started to talk about it and weighed the pros and cons of bringing home Storie. Without a doubt, it was not a practical idea, but Mariesa wanted to help Storie and give her a safe space to deliver the pups.
However, Chris suggested something that made perfect sense for the situation at hand. It sure seemed like their best bet, both for their family and for Storie and the pups. They had no idea how wrong they were.
Foster Parents
Chris suggested that they would foster Storie and her puppies. However, this was only going to be temporary as the animal rescue team would then look for their forever homes.
This sounded like a good idea, right? but the problems did not end there. They still had to find out what was wrong with the pregnancy. What was the reason Storie had not yet given birth even though she was close to bursting? The couple knew they had to find out the truth, and when they did they were left feeling sick to their stomach.
Looking For Answers
There must be some reason Storie was unable or unwilling to give birth to the babies. Chris and Mariesa decided to go to the internet and look for a way to address the issue. Unfortunately, they did not find a lot of reassuring things online.
Research showed that animals often experience a lot of stress and trauma when they live in rescue shelters. Of course, pregnant dogs are more vulnerable to this. A loving home such as Chris and Mariesa’s can make a big difference. But what the couple found out next changed everything.
A Dangerous The Situation
Chris and Mariesa started to read up about the matter some more and realize things could escalate further. There was a possibility that Storie would lose her puppies.
Not only that, but she might also lose her life! The couple knew they had to bring the pregnant pooch to the vet as soon as they could. They popped back in the car and drove to the nearest vet, not knowing their world was about to fall apart.
The Ultrasound
After waiting 30 minutes (which seemed like 3 hours for the panicked couple) finally, the vet conducted an ultrasound scan on the dog Storie. But as the vet saw the results she started to shake her head.
How could this even be possible? There must have been some kind of mistake. What she saw would change things forever for Mariesa and Chris.
They Can’t Believe It
The veterinarian took a deep breath before she delivered the news. She had never had to say this to a dog owner before. How would the owners cope with this news?
She went into an explanation of the abnormality she found in Storie’s womb. You see, she had been expecting to see six puppies, but this did not align with the ultrasound results. Instead, what she saw changed everything.
Unexpected Results
Chris and Mariesa had been expecting six puppies, but the vet knew this was wrong. The pregnant dog was carrying not six puppies but twelve!
The lovebirds could not believe what they just heard. How could this happen? Six dogs already sounded like too much but twelve? Clearly, the problem was even more serious than they originally thought. Was Storie going to be okay? Was she going to deliver all twelve of her babies?
Getting Prepared
The vet said that the best thing they could do was head home and get ready for the birth. If Storie still had not given birth after 48 hours, they should return for yet another examination.
By that point, Chris and Mariesa already read up on trauma and stress. They knew how hard things have been on Storie. They tried to help her by giving her a very inviting space. Mariesa chose a spot in a spare bedroom. She even placed pillows and blankets for the dog. The couple did not know that something incredible was going to happen there.
A Strange Noise
The worried owners headed off to bed for the night and then went to see how Storie was doing upon waking up. They wanted to see if she was feeling better and more comfortable.
As Mariesa and Chris headed to the room where they left the pitbull, they could hear some curious noises. They hurried and entered the bedroom. They did not expect to see what they laid their eyes on!
Deep In The Night
They entered the spare bedroom. Much to their delight, they found Storie in there with her 12 adorable puppies!
She was able to deliver them all while the two of them slept. What an incredible sight it was. Mariesa and Chris were reduced to tears by what they saw. Who would have thought Storie was finally going to deliver the pups? They were thrilled. Soon enough, they learned just why she waited so long.
A Dozen Puppies
When dogs give birth to puppies at the shelter, it often becomes stressful for both the mom and babies.
Storie was somehow aware that the shelter was not a good place for anyone to give birth in an environment like that one. This is the reason she decided to wait for someone like Chris and Mariesa.
A Happy Ending
Isn’t it incredible that Storie only had to spend one whole day, even less, with Chris and Mariesa to feel comfortable around them?
She was so at home she even delivered her litter of puppies! What made it even more special was the fact that no one understands what was going on. Good job, Storie!
In order to protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.