A mother dog and her nine puppies are cozy and safe thanks to the fast actions of a Virginia rescue.
According to WRIC, Richmond Animal Care and Control (RACC) seized an “incredibly pregnant” dog from a residence on Dec. 22, where the canine was stuck outside in a wet, wooden dog house without access to safe temperatures.
“This dog was outside in the freezing cold in a wooden dog house full of water,” a RACC staff member shared in a Dec. 23 Facebook video about the pet’s rescue.
It is illegal in Virginia to keep a pet dog outdoors without proper shelter in temperatures 85 degrees Fahrenheit or higher or 32 degrees Fahrenheit or lower or during a severe weather warning issued for the area by the National Weather Service, per Virginia’s Legislative Information System.
After seizing the dog, RACC took the animal — named Mama Manolo by the agency — to one of its shelters before transferring the canine to Virginia Veterinary Centers (VVC) for overnight monitoring to ensure the pooch didn’t give birth alone.
“She had NINE perfect puppies late on Christmas night and ended early this morning! 7 girls and 2 boys! We are grateful to our Officers for saving Manolo from the freezing temps and that these pups arrived in a warm and safe environment with our skilled team at VVC,” RACC announced on Facebook on Dec. 26, sharing a photo of the puppies napping with the news.
RACC plans to put Mama Manolo and her puppies up for adoption in about eight weeks when the baby dogs are more independent and no longer nursing.