People say timing is everything. Sometimes a single moment changes the course of a day.
A California couple set out for a simple hike, never imagining the day would lead them to save not one, but four lives.
Walking beside a creek, they heard odd sounds nearby. They searched, and at last came the shock that stopped them in their tracks.
Learning To Trust Again, One Day At A Time
Out in the middle of nowhere, a mother dog was in labor, delivering three tiny puppies right there.
The couple called for help right away, and the little family was soon safe. Thom McCallum, a rescuer from Berkeley, California, took all four into his care, though the foster start was rocky and uncertain at first.
The mom, later named Ruby, was painfully timid. At first she did not trust Thom at all, and she held herself apart, wary.
Thom did everything he could to make her comfortable in his home, but healing would take time. This abandoned mama had clearly seen hard days, and she needed space to recover before she could relax.
Caring for the puppies around the clock, every day and night, was the easy part of the journey. Ruby was a devoted mother, and she nursed her babies beautifully.
Bit by bit, Ruby began to come out of her shell. She realized Thom was there to help, and she started to soften toward him, inch by inch.
Eventually she let her guard drop and trusted her new human at last. It felt wonderful, simple and new.
For the first time in ages, Ruby learned how good a loving touch could feel. As the pups grew stronger every day, she changed right along with them and seemed like a new dog.
Finding Her Feet In A New Home
It took months to reach that point, but Ruby turned into the biggest lovebug. She even reached a stage where she did not want to be away from Thom, not even for a moment.
“Ruby won’t leave my side. She goes everywhere I go. She’s really thriving now,” Thom told The Dodo.
It took months to reach that point, but Ruby turned into the biggest lovebug. She even reached a stage where she did not want to be away from Thom, not even for a moment.
Once the puppies were big enough to start their own adventures, Thom found each one a loving home. The best part, all three were adopted by nearby families. And Ruby became the sweetest foster fail, staying right where she belonged.
Jax and Kirby moved only a few miles away, and Tito, the third pup, went to a family next door. Thom and his neighbor even turned a back fence into a gate so he and Ruby could visit whenever they wished.
“From 10 days old until now watching them grow up into compassionate and sweet companions has been one of the most rewarding experiences as a foster,” Thom wrote on Instagram.
Watching this mama thrive after being left behind has been deeply rewarding. Letting her see her babies almost every day makes it even better and keeps her spirits up.
Today Ruby’s pups are big boys and girls, yet their mama still treats them like her little ones. She never lost that nurturing touch, and it showed Thom that Ruby would be a great foster mom too, naturally.
With her dad, she has fostered many dogs. Together they keep helping others in need, including tiny puppies, and Ruby loves every minute they spend caring for newcomers.
In time she found a forever buddy, Pogo, who was rescued from the hills at four months old. Pogo had been hit by a car and lost a leg, but he settled into Thom and Ruby’s home perfectly.
“Ruby and Pogo love life and doing everything together,” Thom wrote.
Recently Thom moved to a bigger place in Berkeley with his girlfriend, and the dogs could not be happier. Ruby and Pogo have more room to show off their cheerful selves, and plenty of space for cozy naps.
Once a mother who trusted no one, Ruby now has a family to call her own, and a life that fits.