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Supporter, you can make sure no pup is forgotten!
Today, supporter, I want to share a story with you about Marley and her 10 puppies and how they came to be living in our RSPCA Darwin shelter at just 4 days old.
There have been so many changes lately to how we live and how we spend our time. COVID-19 has closed non-essential businesses, isolated families and loved ones and even stranded people in places they don’t call home. This is what happened to the owner of Marley and her 10 puppies.
When restrictions were first put into place Marley’s owner was stranded in a remote community and couldn’t return home. However a friend of the owner looked after them. That was until they could help no longer and had to return to work themselves.
Once my team and I heard of this tragic story we knew we had to take them in to ensure mum and her ten, 4-day old puppies were getting the best care they could.
Shelter supervisor Taylah brought mum and pups into our care. “Rescuing them was a long process, Marley was afraid and didn’t understand we were there to help” said Taylah. It seemed that Marley had to have her eyes on her puppies at all times making the rescue just that bit more difficult.
With persistence Taylah eventually got Marley and her puppies to the shelter. But this is when the real challenge began.
Supporter, its people like you who ensure we can continue to save animals found in all situations. If you can support us, all donations made to RSPCA Darwin (over $2) before June 30 are tax deductible.
Marley was terrified and uncertain of all the recent changes. As a mum of ten 4-day old puppies, she was protecting her babies. She was always alert and would watch everything we did.
We worked hard to get Marley to trust us. I would spend time with her each day talking to her as she sat on her bed and just watched. Every morning I put in the effort to say hello but she wasn’t very happy to see me, she needed to know she could trust me.
Luckily though, supporter, simple interactions like this started to pay off. Slowly we could begin to enter her kennel to clean it. As I’m sure you could imagine a kennel full of 10 puppies and their mum could become quite messy.
At first, she wouldn’t allow us to touch her or her little puppies. So my team and I improvised, we made a pulley system which we could use to move her into another part of the kennels while we cleaned.
After a while Marley gained enough trust that we could give her puppies a bath! Although Marley was nervous at first I could see after a few bath times that she was grateful to have clean puppies returned to her, it even looked as though she was smiling at us.
After about two weeks of caring for Marley and her puppies we won her trust.
It was a long road, but with her favourite treats we got there!
Without your support, supporter, we couldn’t give animals like Marley and her puppies the best chance at being loved.
Marley and her pups are now settling into life at a shelter and are trusting humans more each day.
We’ve discovered their favourite treat is frozen kibble which Marley and her puppies can play with, while getting the important enrichment they need!
My team and I are now able to sit with Marley and her puppies, we can play with them and teach them that humans are okay. Marley will even sit on us for cuddles and loves getting her belly and sides massaged.
Although Marley still doesn’t like bath time she is a very loyal dog and a great mum to her puppies. Supporter, with your support we can continue to rescue and rehabilitate dog families just like Marley and her puppies so everyone can have the best chance at finding their forever families.
COVID-19 has had an impact on all our lives and to say the least it has brought together communities in times of need.
Thank you friend, for your ongoing support, your support means that we can be there to rescue dogs like Marley and her puppies. If you can help, all donations (over $2) made before June 30 to RSPCA Darwin are tax deductible.
Monica Dos Santos
RSPCA Darwin Animal Attendant
All donations over $2 are tax deductible