Once Loved Dog Rescue

Giving hope to UK pound dogs

The story of Betsy and her seven tiny dancers

This is the story of Betsy, one little dog’s fight for survival for herself and her 7 unborn babies.

This little staffie girl found herself on death row at the pound, alone and pregnant. If she hadn’t been rescued, she would have been put to sleep, along with the 7 unborn puppies she was carrying. This is just one story about one abandoned little staffordshire bull terrier, think how many other thousands are out there, abandoned and alone, just like Betsy.

Please! Stop Breeding! And Spay and neuter your pets!



Photo of Betsy on ‘death row’ at the pound :(


Betsy


Betsy was left unwanted at the pound and she was in the very early stages of pregnancy when she was in the pound (unbeknown to anyone) We offered her a rescue space as she was on the pound put to sleep list. We placed her into emergency boarding kennels for her isolation period and she arrived with us some weeks later.

Here she is on the day she arrived at our house..

Betsy


Betsy had a skin condition, which meant she could not be speyed until the skin was treated, but that couldn’t happen until she had her second vaccination. As time went on, further complications arose…there were certain things that began to concern me, I noticed a change in her shape, and her teats developed lumps. We took her to the vet and she had cell samples taken to find out whether or not she had mammory tumours. The results came back and something suspect had been found.

We discussed the options with our vet, such as Betsy having a mammory strip, and being speyed at the same time. This, however, was a massive surgical procedure as it would involve a mammory strip on one side, plus the spey, and a further operation on the other side at a later date. This little dog had already been through so much, and, for probably the first time in a long time, she was happy, relaxed and content.

The decision was a tough call. We continued discussions with our vet, who also had a long talk with the pathologist who had tested Betsy’s cells. The pathologist’s view was that diving in and operating may not be the best option, as he could not say if it was the type that would even spread. We were also given new information regarding current changing opinions amongst vets that actually, it is now not thought that hormones have as much influence as previously believed, so in that case, speying Betsy at this point would make little difference. We weighed all of this up, and decided with the vet that we would leave things be for the time being, let Betsy come into season naturally and then spey her at 3 months after her season. We would keep a very close eye on the lumps, and If in the meantime, any lumps developed further, we would have those operated on if and when.

Over the course of the next couple of weeks, I did indeed keep a close eye on the lumps, and to my surprise, I found that they appeared to have moved. The lumps in the teats further up her body had all but disappeared and seemed to have migrated to the teats further down. Her body shape was also changing. This made no sense at all, so we had further visits to the vet. On one of the visits, the vet asked us if Betsy could be pregnant.

We calculated her time in emergency boarding kennels, her time in the pound, and added it to the time she had been with us (which was 5 weeks) and came to the conclusion that there was no way she could be pregnant as too much time had elapsed from when she was first in the pound (the only time she could have become pregnant would have been before she went into the pound) Well, needless to say, our calculations were wrong! When the vet examined her and felt for puppies, she found no puppies! so we were still sure she wasn’t pregnant.

A few days later, I was sitting on the sofa, with Betsy lying next to me and I was stroking her tummy. I suddenly felt an unmistakable kick from beneath my hand. I called my husband over and he confirmed he too felt a kick (which he tried to convince himself and me was wind :) !) Up to the Vets again, who scanned her and came back with a ‘Yes’. Three days later, on September 16th 2010 Betsy gave birth to 7 beautiful, healthy babies :)

As a dear friend and fellow rescuer, Mel Ellis from Auntie Mel’s dog walking and pet sitting service, and founder of Precious Poundies said: These puppies are fighters. They have survived against all odds. First, with their beautiful Mum, Betsy, they survived the pound, they then survived a spey due to Betsy’s skin condition, then again, when it was decided not to carry out an operation and spey. These pups are precious to us and we are so happy they are here. Betsy was an amazing and doting Mum and the problems with her mammories have all disappeared. Betsy is very precious to us too. In fact she, and one of her seven tiny dancers, Fred, lives as part of our family and will do so for the rest of their lives.



Betsy’s babies became known as ‘The seven tiny dancers’ as we named them all after famous dancers.

The boys…
Fred (Astaire) Gene (Kelly) Lester (Horton) Bojangles AKA Batfink! (Bill ‘Bojangles Robinson) Rudy (Rudolph Nureyev)
The girls…
Darcy (Bussell)
Martha (Graham)

September 16th 2010: The puppies arrive!

First baby is born…


Baby no.2…


And then there were 3…


4! How many more!


5 & 6 arrive…


All 7 babies born <3



September 23rd 2010 – Video of the puppies feeding, at 7 days old…
Fred

Fred

Lester

Lester


Rudy

Rudy

Gene

Gene


Martha

Martha


September 26th 2010 – the puppies at 10 days old…
Mr Bojangles

Mr Bojangles

Darcy

Darcy


September 30th – the puppies at 14 days old, eyes now open!




October 2nd – the puppies at 16 days old…




October 4th – The puppies at 18 days old…




October 8th – the puppies at 22 days old…






October 18th – The puppies at 32 days old…




November 1st – The puppies at 6 and a half weeks old…
Darcy

Darcy

Fred

Fred


Gene (Reserved)

Gene

Martha (Reserved)

Martha


Mr Bojangles

Mr Bojangles

Rudy (showing how cool he is with a wink!)

Rudy (showing how cool he is with a wink!)


Lester (Reserved)

Lester


Betsy’s seven tiny dancers were all adopted and flew the nest at the age of 8 weeks. Apart from Fred, who we kept. Oops! I just couldn’t help but keep one of her gorgeous babies, as well as keeping their beautiful Mum. Fred and Betsy adore eachother still, they spend their days playing and getting up to mischief :) Betsy is still a doting Mum to Fred and every day we are so thankful that they are here with us and that all of Betsy’s babies are so happy in their forever homes. The puppies all keep in touch on their facebook page. (see below if you would like to be their friend on facebook)

The puppies in their forever homes, all growing up to be so beautiful, just like their Mum!



Fred with Mum, Betsy

Fred with Mum, Betsy

Darcy

Darcy


Mr Bojangles

Mr Bojangles

Lester

Lester


Martha

Martha

Gene

Gene


Rudy

Rudy

Mum Betsy

Mum Betsy



For further information about the staffie crisis and what you can to do help please visit the following websites:

Save The Staffies http://www.savethestaffies.co.uk/

You could save me – the charity single for death row dogs. http://www.songfordogs.org.uk


facebookThe puppies are now on facebook!
  • diane jones says:

    Melts my heart everytime i read their story, i’m so pleased to have our very own dancer living here with us, he brings us so much Joy, happiness and many cuddles, Love him loads! Thanks Sophie to and the rescue for all you do. x

    January 8, 2012 at 2:18 pm

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