An Australian shepherd and her eight puppies are looking for their forever homes following a devastating house fire, which killed the father of the litter.
Sadie Grace,4, welcomed her healthy litter on March 22, but tragedy struck in the days that followed, and the family of 10 found themselves without a home. The mom and her days-old puppies were taken to a nearby shelter in South Carolina, but the German shepherd who fathered the pups was “lost in the fire.”
Tammi Miller, of the Australian Shepherds Furever rescue, heard about Sadie Grace’s reason for winding up in a shelter, and she offered to be a temporary foster home until the dogs were eventually ready for adoption.
Miller, the Ohio representative for the charity, told Newsweek: “They had been turned over to the shelter after the fire, but I went and pulled them out and temporarily fostered them all. I’m caring for Sadie Grace and her puppies until we can get them vetted and moved to their long-term foster.
Australian Shepherds Furever / Tammi Miller
“Among the litter, there are five males and three female puppies, and they’ve had their eyes open for a few days now. They’ are starting to discover that they have legs which can move them around, which is so great to see.”
As Miller is from out of state, she did not know specific details about the fire and was only aware of what the shelter told her. “When I asked for any background, they could only tell me that the father of the litter was a German shepherd who perished in the fire,” she explained.
The length of time that a puppy needs to stay with their mother can vary, but it should generally be at least eight weeks. This is because the pups go through various phases in those early weeks, and they need the nutrition and maternal guidance.
According to PetMD, the first two weeks are known as the neonatal stage, followed by the transitional stage which sees them start to develop more and actively learn from their surroundings. This is a critical time for socialization and builds the foundations for their behavior moving forward.
Once puppies are a month old, they reach the socialization period when they begin to learn discipline and how to interact with the dogs around them. If they aren’t given enough positive experiences, they can also develop fears too. By the time they’re between 4 and 7 weeks of age, puppies should receive their vaccinations from a veterinarian before they can be safely rehomed.
Australian Shepherds Furever / Tammi Miller
It’s been a harrowing few weeks, but overall, the dogs all appear to be doing well and are enjoying their current residency with Miller, who continues to care for all nine dogs.
As the puppies are all still nursing, they need to be close to Sadie Grace, but once they have been naturally weaned by their mother, Miller said they can “begin looking for families” to adopt them.
In a Facebook post, the Australian Shepherds Furever rescue group shared Sadie Grace’s story and asked people if they could help this “sweet family.”
Australian Shepherds Furever / Tammi Miller
“It’s a wonderful thing when we can give these rescue dogs a bigger voice so they might find the wonderful forever homes they so deserve,” Miller told Newsweek.
Many Facebook users have commented to share their support. One comment reads: “She’s so beautiful and looks so proud of her little ones.”
Another person responded: “Donated, thank you for rescuing this precious family.”
One Facebook user wrote: “Absolutely beautiful. I got my first Aussie from a mama Aussie that was rescued and had her litter in care. Wishing mama and pups a healthy and happy transition.”
Do you have any rescue stories that you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.