Shivering Dog Locked Out Of House Sits On Her Babies To Keep Them Warm

In mid-January, temperatures in Kansas City, Kansas, dropped to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Spending time outdoors, even in the bright sunshine, was dangerous without proper clothing.

So when a neighbor saw a pile of puppies on a front porch, huddling together for warmth, they knew something wasn’t right and alerted Heart of America Humane Society.

Andrea Knobbe, the humane society’s outreach director, rushed to the scene. Pulling up to the residence, her heart broke.

“The mom was sitting on the puppies to try to keep them warm,” Knobbe told The Dodo. “The puppies literally were scratching at the door to get in, and I could hear them crying from my van where I was sitting in the street.”

Horrified, Knobbe watched as the shivering mama picked up a limp puppy in her mouth and headed for the backyard. After decades of work in animal rescue, Knobbe recognized this dog family did not have long.

As she hopped out of the car and offered the mama some food, a neighbor approached and let Knobbe know animal services had been to the same home earlier that week.

Knobbe immediately called animal services. Officer Amy Scott arrived quickly and spoke with the homeowner. After some back and forth, the owner agreed to surrender the puppies and their protective mama.

“Mom was scared but seemed to understand we were saving her and her babies,” Nancy Chartrand, Kansas City Police Department’s public information officer, told The Dodo. “She was excited to get out of the cold and loved curling up in her kennel with her [babies] with lots of warm blankets.”

Surprisingly, almost all of the puppies were in good condition, though if they’d spent one more night outside, they may not have been so lucky.

Only one pup, the baby carried in Mama’s mouth, was on the verge of hypothermia. After a few days in a warm environment, with plenty of milk, he bounced right back.

After receiving all the proper vaccinations and deworming treatments they needed, animal services placed the puppies in loving foster homes, and every single one has since been adopted.

While Mama still waits for her forever home, it’s clear she went above and beyond to make sure her babies were safe. Hopefully, she’ll have her own warm home soon.