What started as a mama dog wanting to protect her pups turned into an emergency situation for the Michigan Humane Society.
A litter of puppies was found in an underground tunnel in someone’s backyard. The mother dog dug the tunnel herself, most likely to keep her babies safe from the impending weather. But when the weather service issued a flood warning for the area, their underground haven soon turned into a potential death trap.
After being alerted of the situation, animal control officers from the Michigan Humane Society arrived at the scene. They didn’t know how many puppies were in the cave, but they came prepared with traps and shovels. Humane society staff members Chris and Pam filmed their rescue efforts on Facebook live.
https://www.facebook.com/michiganhumane/videos/10154773700577849/
The first few puppies were easily pulled to safety, but the underground cave was deeper than anyone expected. With the rain coming down, the need to get the puppies above ground became more urgent. Chris attempted to widen the cave entrance with a shovel, but the moist soil and questionable stability meant the entire cave was at risk of collapse.
Unwilling to dig any further, the rescuers tried coaxing the puppies out with wet dog food. They pulled five puppies out of the cave at this point, but there were still more desperately yipping just out of reach.
https://www.facebook.com/michiganhumane/photos/p.10154777135667849/10154777135667849/?type=3&theater
Wishing for longer arms and up to the shoulder in mud, Chris slowly started pulling the rest of the puppies out of the hole. The barking puppies eventually drew the attention of mom, and her presence wasn’t entirely welcome. The rescuers’ ultimate goal was to keep the family together, but they also couldn’t risk mom getting aggressive in order to protect her pups. She kept her distance, however, and watched as the last of her puppies were pulled from her underground tunnel.
After nearly a half hour in the rain digging through the mud, the last puppies were finally saved. There was a surprising total of 11 puppies buried in the cave, but they all made it out safely and were transported to the Michigan Humane Society. Later that day, mama dog was also trapped and reunited with her babies.
https://www.facebook.com/michiganhumane/photos/p.10154774295977849/10154774295977849/?type=3&theater
The Michigan Humane Society has reported that all the dogs have been cleaned, fed, and are doing well.
Featured Image Source: Screenshots via Facebook/Michigan Humane Society
Toledo, United States.
