This animal rescue story starts in a despairing and lonely place. Imagine being homeless, pregnant, and alone, unable to protect yourself and never knowing when your next meal will come. Mama June had been wandering around a construction site in Jasper County for weeks, hoping each day that the humans she encountered would mean her no harm. Doing her best to stay alive, battle the elements, and find food, we can’t imagine the stress she must have been under. Luckily, this dismal existence was just the beginning of June’s story.
“One day the crew at the construction site noticed that her round tummy had disappeared,” says PAL Adoption Coordinator Sally Dawkins. “When the authorities arrived, the crew let them know there were puppies as well.”
Mama June and her seven puppies were first taken to a shelter that wasn’t prepared for so many newborns. Then, on June 11 (hence the name Mama June) this sweet, scared, exhausted mother dog came to Palmetto Animal League in search of the peace and tranquility that had eluded her for so long.
Both mother and babies quickly adjusted to life at PAL, but soon June and her devoted caretakers at our adoption center faced a new hurdle.
“Our staff found that Mama June was struggling to feed her 10-day-old puppies,” explains Dawkins. “So, we had to come up with a plan to make sure the pups would get enough nourishment.
PAL staff reached out to some of our most dedicated fosters and volunteers to assemble an around-the-clock team devoted to bottle feeding Mama June’s puppies.
“The response we received was heartwarming,” says Dawkins smiling. “It was humbling to watch this team of volunteers jump into action without hesitation to bottle feed seven helpless puppies every 3-4 hours.”
The words despairing and lonely no longer define Mama June’s life. Happy and hopeful are the best two words to describe her now. Thanks to PAL supporters, this beautiful dog wandering starving, pregnant, and alone now knows what it means to be safe and loved.
You can help rescue more homeless pets like June and her pups by taking part in PAL’s most important fundraiser of the year. The 13th Annual ‘Bid for PAL’ Online Auction takes place Thursday, August 4 at 8 a.m. through Sunday, August 7 at 8 p.m. Participants look forward to this once-a-year, virtual shopping experience featuring our area’s most popular products and services, including golf rounds at renowned clubs, restaurant certificates, relaxing getaways, spa packages, jewelry, home décor, and more! Start browsing today at PALauction.org, and let your heart do the bidding.
Amy Campanini, Palmetto Animal League President
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Thank you to our Partners in Rescue, The Bluffton Sun and The Hilton Head Sun for being beacons of compassion and hope for homeless pets in our community. Please show your support for these local animal loving businesses!
