Volunteers helping out at the Mandaluyong Animal Shelter (MAS) has issued an urgent call for help. One of the recently abandoned dogs gave birth to two puppies. Because puppies rarely survive the poor conditions at the pound, the mama dog, named Maddy, and her babies need to be immediately taken out and brought somewhere safer so they will survive. According to the report, Maddy is very thin.
READ: Sanctuary for Abused and Abandoned Animals in Cavite Needs Your Help
Here is the story, as shared by a volunteer.
MAMA DOG MADDY and her 2 PUPS NEED A TEMPORARY HOME !=== As the volunteers worked on their chores, 1 dog in MAS quarantine bay (a.k.a. death row of the MAS pound) where all new dogs are admitted, was noisier and louder than the others. Her barks punctuated by short howls sounded desperate and urgent. A volunteer checked and saw the skeletal-looking dog anxiously barking but looking down underneath their wire mesh cage flooring, trying to claw and gnaw at the wires. We soon found out why.
Maddy gave birth and her newborn pup fell through the space between the wire flooring. She barked and barked until a volunteer discovered her puppy.
Underneath the cage, still wet with eyes shut was a newborn pup blindly crawling and crying. The dog obviously gave birth while in the cage with over 5 other dogs around her and her puppy fell through the space between the wire flooring. The pup was too far to reach so with a wooden pole and a clip-apparatus, volunteers were able to quickly nudge her towards the front and wrap the little one in a towel. We brought the pup close to the cage and let the dog sniff and observed her reaction if she was indeed the mother.
Her whimpering and relieved but concerned look in her eyes gave us the confirmation we needed so volunteer Jean hurriedly took her out of the cramped cage, the dog only too willing to be led out and joined her pup on the bed the volunteers prepared while a crate was still being cleaned and disinfected for there was no other space.
There was another puppy on the way! Maddy gave birth on Mother’s Day.
While Mama dog licked her pup clean and chewed off the still-attached umbilical cord, she would also restlessly go about in circles, claw at the bed, sit, lie down and do this repeatedly – a nesting behavior. So volunteers suspected she still had a puppy or several to ease out.
We’d repeatedly pick up her pup when she’d accidentally roll off the dog bed (yes, the grateful mama allowed us to handle her baby). She ironically gave birth on Mother’s Day. We named her Maddy (from madir – a slang for mother
😛).
The second puppy was gasping for breath. A volunteer had to orally aspirate fluid clogging the pup’s nose.
Soon she was transferred to the clean crate lined with another dog bed. All the volunteers present sat or stood by observing, waiting, hoping if she was to birth more, it would be soon while we were around. Less than 2 hours later, another pup came out. Volunteers were alarmed after noticing the pup wasn’t moving and volunteer Jean bravely but cautiously reached in to get the second-born. (Maddy just allowed her and curiously looked on.) It was with much relief to see the pup gasp for breath but feared the pup’s nose was clogged with fluid, We didn’t have a nasal aspirator so Jean had to “orally aspirate” . Pup made soft little squeaks and was soon wiped dry and laid to join her mom and sibling. Maddy nestled comfortably with them and later settled down to nurse.
Maddy is very likely an abandoned dog.
MADDY has a collar so she has an owner…or had. So she was either caught in the streets as one of those pets irresponsible pet owners just allow to roam outside the home off-leash or she was relinquished to the pound. She was clearly already thin before admission.
How long will Maddy and her pups survive at the dog pound?
As the last of the volunteers left for the day, the grim question was HOW LONG WILL THEY SURVIVE AT MAS? With mom so thin and frail, in such a harsh pound environment with big rats scurrying around especially after dusk, we were not certain. Usually no newborn puppies survive at MAS for a week But they did.
The volunteers are fervently hoping for concerned citizens to offer their home as foster/temporary home for Maddy and her babies before it is too late. They will find vet care sponsors for Maddy and her pups.
If interested to foster, please email helpmasdogs@gmail.com or pop the volunteers a message on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Help.MAS.Dogs
