Woman Who 'Befriended' Stray Dog Get the Surprise of a Lifetime

A woman who gave shelter to a stray dog was left stunned after the thankful canine then gave birth to a litter of puppies.

Kimberley Taylor, adoption coordinator at Corridor Rescue Inc. in Spring, Texas, told Newsweek that Carol the dog was originally found roaming Houston's notorious "Corridor of Cruelty" in Corridor, "a section of Houston known to be a hotspot for dog dumping."

"Like many dogs that find themselves on the streets, Carol was a beloved pet at some point in her life," Taylor said. "Being heartworm negative at her age tells us preventatives were in use, and while she cannot tell us her tale directly, we can only presume finances got in the way of proper care, and she ended up roaming."

Each year, 6.3 million pets enter U.S. shelters, which is an average of 17,260 a day, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The number of dogs and cats taken in by pet shelters hit 46,807 during January 2023, an increase of 1,744 compared with January 2022, the 24Pet 'Shelter Watch Report' found.

Around 920,000 surrendered animals are euthanized every year. Shelters are striving to minimize euthanasia rates by promoting adoption campaigns, spaying and neutering programs, and behavior rehabilitation.

Taylor said that, with little to no spaces available in shelters across Texas, it has got to a point where "desperate people abandon their pups every day."

However, as the December cold kicked in, Carol found her very own guardian angel in the form of a local woman who, according to Taylor, befriended the stray canine, keeping her fed and secure before contacting Corridor Rescue. Carol had come bearing gifts; she was pregnant and gave birth soon after coming into the local resident's care.

Sadly, one of the puppies was stillborn, but the six others arrived happy and healthy with Corridor Rescue intervening soon after to provide Carol and her litter with a safe and warm environment to stay in.

Taylor said Carol is around 2 years old, and this is "her first experience with motherhood." When the dog first arrived at the shelter, she wasn't in the best of shape. She was underweight and battling fleas. However, Taylor said that all of the dogs "are now settling into a new life free from the fear and uncertainty of street life," having been taken in by a local foster family, the Hokes.

"The puppies, three boys and three girls, are all thriving under Carol's watchful eye. At 4 days old, they are healthy, wriggly balls of promise," Taylor said.

The pups are named after The Brady Bunch matriarch Carol. It made sense to christen the pups in honor of the rest of the show's fictional family; the three boy pups are Greg, Peter, and Bobby, while the girls are Jan, Cindy and Marcia.

"We would like to say Carol has told us all about her amazing adventures on her journey to find us, but for now, the only talking she is doing is the sound of her contented rumbling snores that echo through the room," Taylor said.

"The pups seem quite happy to sprawl out on the clean dry towels and enjoy the peace. While it will be some time until they are ready for homes of their own, they are bright lights in an often-dim world," Taylor added. "We can't wait to see all their doggie personalities develop and Carol come out of her shell, but for now, it's lots of good food, sleep and love and attention for this group."

Though Carol and her pups are thriving, Taylor said the sad reality is that many dogs are less fortunate and in order to save more, shelters need help.

"Foster families such as the Hokes play a critical role in our endeavors when space is an issue and extra care is needed," Taylor said. "The old adage 'it takes a village' rings especially true in rescue, and the many facets of our organization work together to do as much as we can for as many as we can.

"We rely heavily on donations to fund our organization and, without them, life for dogs like Carol and her babies would be dramatically different," Taylor added.

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