Fostering dogs can be hard work, but the most dedicated volunteers are happy to take on the challenge. 20-year-old Lauren Enge doesn’t mind taking on more than she can handle if it means saving more dogs. So, during her college midterms, she took in the sweetest foster dog named Kahuna. At first, Enge had no idea that the dog was pregnant.
Yet, Kahuna began gaining weight at a rapid pace despite getting lots of exercise. So, Enge asked the vet to conduct a pregnancy test just in case. Sure enough, Kahuna was hiding a litter of puppies from her foster mom! Yet, that didn’t deter Enge from continuing to foster her.
The Extra Work Pays Off
Enge and her friends were studying hard a week before midterms at UCLA when Kahuna went into labor. The poor pup was nervous and scared, so Enge dropped everything to be by her side and support her.
“She was pushing the first baby out with the entire study group over studying for econ,” Enge said. “We were just at the pen, waiting, telling her that she was a good dog.”
Once Kahuna had the first puppy, Enge said she glanced up at her with a look of relief and gratitude. After every puppy, she had a face of joy as if to let her foster mom know that she was doing okay.
Kahuna had eight beautiful puppies. Enge decided to give them all nautical-themed names: Mako, Pearl, Guppy, Nemo, Maui, Sailor, Sandy, and Lilo. While Enge didn’t get much sleep during her time with the puppies, she adored every second of it.
Time for More Foster Dogs!
Enge says that Kahuna is the best dog she has ever fostered. Not only was she sweet and lovable to humans, but she was also a very attentive mom. As the puppies got bigger, they loved to follow her around. Kahuna also became famous around campus, and everyone who met her fell in love with her.
All eight puppies found wonderful homes, and her roommate’s family even adopted one. Kahuna also found her forever home, but before she left, Enge wanted to give her one last special day in foster care.
“The day before she was adopted, [my co-foster] and I realized we had never taken Kahuna to the beach, and she was named Kahuna!” Enge said. “So, she finally got to interact with the waves and dig in the sand. Her send-off was a really emotional moment for all of us at that beach.”
Enge says that Kahuna was one of the best parts of her college experience, and her passion for fostering won’t stop there. Of course, it’s sad to see foster dogs leave, but it’s also heartwarming and joyful. Fostering can save lives, so Enge will continue to help dogs as much as she can, even during busy moments in her life. Hopefully, more dog lovers will be inspired to do the same.
See Clips of the Adorable Puppies Below:
H/T: YouTube.com
Featured Image: Instagram and Facebook
Toledo, United States.
