Thanks to selfless rescuers who dedicate their lives to helping stray dogs, many of these furry souls finally find a place to call home.
For Donna Lochmann of Stray Rescue of St. Louis, Missouri, there has always been a single mission in her remarkable career, to save as many dogs as possible.
As the group’s Chief Life-Saving Officer, Donna has helped countless dogs secure forever homes across the country. But this rescue would turn out to be different.
This time, something special was waiting. Here is why.
A Mother In Hiding
Donna and the Stray Rescue of St. Louis team had been working tirelessly to save Hulu, a stray female who had been wandering the streets for weeks.
This shy girl was painfully thin and clearly in need of help. The challenge, though, was that she was nearly impossible to catch.
Hulu wasn’t just a stray. She was also a nursing mother caring for a litter of newborn puppies hidden somewhere nearby. She had managed to keep them safe from danger, but finding them proved extremely difficult for the rescue team.
That was until the day everything changed.
A humane trap filled with tasty food was set for Hulu. After hours of patience, the hungry mother finally stepped inside, allowing the rescuers to safely catch her.
But just moments later, Donna and a fellow volunteer heard faint cries coming from one of the vacant houses in the neighborhood. When they investigated the crawl space underneath, they couldn’t believe what they found.
Tucked tightly together on a pile lay a large litter of tiny puppies. Their eyes had only just opened, and though they were fragile and small, they looked surprisingly healthy.
Without hesitation, Donna got down on the ground and crawled into the narrow space to reach them. As she looked closer, she was shocked to count ten little pups.
“A mom and 10 puppies have been rescued from the mean streets. Although full of milk, she was skin and bones. You’ll never believe where we found her puppies,” Stray Rescue of St. Louis wrote in a Facebook post.
A Happy Ending For All
After a careful rescue effort, the puppies were brought back to the shelter. The team placed them in a cozy room alongside their mom.
Hulu quickly showed herself to be an incredible mother. She nursed her babies, kept them warm, and never left their side.
Everyone at the rescue was deeply impressed by how well she had cared for her pups despite lacking food, shelter, or comfort. Against the odds, she had kept them alive.
Now, they would never have to worry about surviving on the streets again.
Months later, Hulu and her little family began a new chapter in safe and loving homes. Hulu herself was adopted by a woman named Debbie and her family.
Today, she enjoys a spacious house, countless adventures, and endless love from her humans and canine housemates. Her days are now filled with joy and affection, just as they always should have been.
Her new mom shared a heartfelt message, thanking Donna for saving Hulu. “My Hulu was rescued three years ago. She is a really funny quirky dog. Thank you Donna Lochmann for always saying yes to a rescue,” Debbi wrote on Facebook.
Because of Donna and her devoted team, Hulu and her puppies were given the chance at life they so desperately needed. And their story could not have ended in a better way.