Rescue Dog Dying to Meet Foster Puppies: ‘Being a Mom Is All She Has known’

The moment a rescue dog who narrowly escaped euthanasia got together with a litter of puppies she had apparently been desperate to meet has gone viral on social media.

Peach the pit bull came frighteningly close to meeting an untimely end, and she’s only alive thanks to the intervention of Pawsitive Tails Dog Rescue in Kansas City and one of its foster carers, Chrissy Speer. “Peach was rescued in her very final minutes from a high kill shelter, massively pregnant,” a spokesperson for Pawsitive Tails told Newsweek.

“I mainly foster mommas and puppies,” Speer told Newsweek. “When the rescue leader sent me Peach’s picture, I just fell in love with her. She was scheduled for [euthanization] that weekend. I got the message on a Friday and she was here by Saturday.”

Foster carers play a crucial role in helping dogs enjoy some much-needed respite from the traditional shelter setting. It’s also an opportunity for foster carers to get a better idea of a dog’s personality and what kind of owner or home would suit them.

More than anything, it’s a chance for the dogs to recharge mentally and enjoy some much-needed attention. A little love can go a long way with a shelter dog. Research published in the journal Applied Animal Behavior Science in 2018 claimed that just 15 minutes of one-on-one petting with a shelter dog was enough to provide a measurable boost to the canine’s wellbeing.

Speer had an even more important role to play with Peach though. Just 24 hours after she fostered her, Peach gave birth to a litter of puppies. She went on to raise all of the puppies, but they have moved on since.

“All eight of her pups have been adopted and four of them came to visit her a few weeks ago for a reunion,” Speer said.

Originally the plan was for Peach to be adopted out too, but that changed. “She was up for adoption because I already had four permanent dogs,” Speer said. “But when she returned less than 24 hours after being adopted on one occasion I knew she was meant to live with us.”

Speer said that Peach was likely used primarily for breeding by her previous owner. “The vet said Peach is a little over two years old and has likely had about four litters,” she said. “Being a mom is all she has known.”

Maybe that’s why she takes such a keen interest when Speer fosters puppies. “Every new litter her foster momma takes in, she mothers and acts like they are her own,” the Pawsitive Tails spokesperson explained.

Speer agreed, saying: “Peach’s favorite thing to do is play with our foster puppies!”

She’s certainly taken a shine to the momma dog and puppies that came into Speer’s care three weeks ago in distressing circumstances.”The puppies were living under a shed in the cold and snow,” Speer said. “The owner would let the mom in but not the puppies.”

Speer is always careful to gradually introduce Peach to the puppies in her care, though. “We wait patiently for weeks until the mom is comfortable enough for Peach to be around them,” she said.

Their first meeting finally came a few days ago, with Speer capturing their special encounter in a video posted to TikTok under the handle pittiehoarder, where it has already been watched 9.6 million times.

In the clip, Peach can be seen approaching the puppy pen. She stops as she reaches the wall, with the pups crowding and sniffing around her. Eventually Peach steps inside, completing a circuit of the pen before walking back out again. She then returns to get another dose of affection from the tiny dogs.

Speer said: “Her tail and whole body wags showing how excited she was so I thought I’d share the interaction. I love that there are so many people that truly felt her love and joy from the video.”

Speer ultimately hopes the video will encourage others to get involved in fostering with their local rescues. “It’s so rewarding to be able to save lives and see them find forever homes,” she said.

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