When Mariesa and Chris took their pregnant dog at the vet, nobody expected to see just how many pups she was about to give birth to. The vet gently moved the wand and tried to make sense of what she was seeing on the screen. It was difficult to give an actual result, and as she started counting once again, she was even more confused! Was she imagining it, or was it really true? In all her years as a vet, she never saw anything like this. Whatever the case, she had to act fast if she wanted to save this dog!
Getting One Single Dog
Although Mariesa and Chris already had rescues at home, they decided to adopt one more from the local shelter. They agreed on choosing one single dog, but when they spotted this pregnant dog in the kennel, they knew what to do. She needed a place where she could feel safe so that when the right time came, she would give birth to her puppies. But what the couple didn’t know was that this dog’s belly was full with puppies!
Fate On Her Side
The pregnant dog had no idea how fortunate she would be at Mariesa and Chris’ house. She saw them at the shelter, got close and licked their hands. Mariesa knew that this pregnant pit bull was going home with them that day. Later at the vet, they end up reconsidering their decision to adopt her!
Let’s Call Her Storie
The couple decided to call their new dog Storie. Just like other pit bulls, Storie had been used for breeding by her previous owners. However, they quickly saw that it was more expensive than profitable and left her at the shelter. It was her first litter and Storie needed love and a home. Although Mariesa looked to adopt no more than one dog, Storie did come with a lot more than she could handle…
Making Things Right
After Mariesa learned that this cute dog was pregnant, she promised to herself she’d make things right. A shelter was not the place to give birth. What Mariesa didn’t know was that her Storie’s pregnancy was going to be extremely complicated.
Fifteen Dogs At Home
When we said the couple has dogs at home, you probably thought they’d have two or three, but they live with a whopping 15 dogs! Their home is like a hotel for dogs. Sleeping is quite difficult since all of them want to hop on the bed and get some cuddles with Mariesa and Chris. They even made a “megabed” so they could all fit!
A Huge Bed
Their bed is 7 feet wide and 14 feet long and now everyone has enough place to sleep at night. The couple found out about Storie from a friend that had visited the shelter and when they went to see her and other dogs, they knew this mommy needed a home ASAP. But neither Chris nor Marriesa were prepared for the things they’d soon go through…
New Rescues
The couple shares their love for animals, and in an interview Mariesa admitted that before Chris, her past relationships didn’t work because she had to choose between her partners and her love for dogs. She chose to leave, and finally found someone as passionate about dogs as her. Meeting Chris meant she’d get to share that love with him, and their affection for animals grew stronger. So, years later, they ended up housing fifteen dogs!
Caring For Dogs
Mariesa and Chris visited the Pibbles & More Animal Rescue and saw that pit bulls were the dogs most present in shelters. Although friendly, these dogs have a bad reputation. What Mariesa and Chris didn’t know was that Storie would change their lives!
Changing The Stigma
Aware that pit bulls have a bad reputation, and that they’re even illegal to own in some states, the couple tried to change the stigma around pit bulls being a dangerous breed. These claims are not backed by any research, and any dog that is mistreated will behave badly. Perhaps their stocky frame and powerful jaws would do more damage in this case, but as long as they’re loved, cared for, and trained, pit bulls are not vicious creatures.
Amazing Pets
Pit bulls are very sweet and loving, and Storie was one of them. She waited patiently in her kennel, looking as if she would pop any minute. The staff was worried because it hadn’t happened yet and the couple knew they had to take her home and make her feel safe so she could relax and give birth to her pups. As they got closer to the kennel, Storie did this…
Pleading Eyes
With pleading eyes, Storie put her head on one of Mariesa’s knees as she got closer to the kennel. Then, she licked her hand and totally won Mariesa’s heart. She knew adopting Storie meant also taking care of her pups, but it didn’t matter. This dog needed urgent care and veterinary attention!
Planning Everything
After signing the adoption papers, Chris and Mariesa took Storie to their car. On their way home, they already planned everything, from introducing her to their rescues to finding a spot for her to give birth. But they didn’t expect Storie’s pregnancy to be this complicated…
Not The Best Idea
Although they loved dogs a lot and wanted to give them all a chance at a better home, Mariesa and Chris didn’t know that Storie had a few surprises for them. They knew caring for 15 dogs and some more puppies would be a huge undertaking, but it would all be worth it if they were all healthy! So, they introduced Storie to the pack.
Fostering Them
It was one step at a time, thought Chris and his wife. They decided to only keep Storie and spay her after she recovered. They would foster her puppies until the animal rescue team would find families for her puppies. It was a good idea, they though. Little did they know that Storie’s belly was filled with puppies!
Something Was Wrong
Storie’s belly looked like it was about to pop. She was close to bursting but still didn’t seem to want to give birth. The couple needed to make sure everything was all right. So they started looking for answers…
Online Research
Before deciding to go to a vet, Chris looked up online all the info about pregnant dogs that may not want to give birth to their babies. They worried that it could be a medical problem and wanted to know in advance how to solve this issue. What did they find out?
Confused
As with all answers we look up online, the facts, tips and warnings Chris and Mariesa found made them even more worried. They got even more anxious about Storie’s pregnancy and called the vet.
Resisting The Pregnancy
After talking to the vet on the phone and planning a visit, they learned that Storie may be stressed and she resists delivering the puppies. Here’s what they were told to do until the doctor’s visit.
Storie Was Stressed
Living in the shelter has stressed Storie and due to the crowded space and noises, she resisted giving birth. Now that she was at home with Chris, Mariesa and the other dogs, it must have been a much better living condition… Still, she didn’t want to give birth!
Could She Lose The Puppies?
The couple was also on edge, as they knew that if the delay was too long, Storie’s life of her pups’ lives would be in danger. They had no idea how complicated her situation was until the vet checked her.
She Was Still Afraid
Although the rescues at home gladly welcomed Storie and didn’t mind having a new sibling at home, she was still afraid of delivering. Some dogs think they would risk their babies’ lives if they deliver them, so they choose to delay the delivery. This was what Storie was going through, and Mariesa feared the worse.
Rushing to the Vet
That first night, Mariesa checked on Storie to see if she was alright. The next day, they’d take her to the vet and see what they could do. That’s when they saw the doctor frowned.
Storie’s Ultrasound
Getting ready for the ultrasound scan, the doctor’s eyes widened as she looked at the screen. She shook her head and moved the wand again. It couldn’t be right, she thought as she glanced again at the screen. She started counting…
Something Was Off
Mariesa and Chris looked at the doctor, not knowing what to think. They were all silent, waiting for the doctor to say something. They saw something was off, but were too afraid to ask. The doctor’s voice broke the silence.
Looking at The Shapes
Ultrasound scanning isn’t exactly accurate when it comes to seeing how many puppies will be born, but the doctor just couldn’t help counting. She started counting out loud, pointing towards each pup. Mariesa and Chris held their breath…
She Was Shocked
Never in her career had she seen such a thing! The vet took a deep breath and prepared to tell the owners the news. It may have been impossible, but she was looking at the screen and found no explanation. Here’s what Mariesa learned.
Counting Out Loud
As the doctor pointed at each shape, she continued counting. “Four,” said the vet, and looked at the couple, then back at the screen, “six…” and then counted some more. That’s when Chris and Mariesa realized just how many puppies Storie had in her tummy! They thought there wouldn’t be more than six. They were wrong!
Around Six Pups
The people at the shelter said Storie wouldn’t have more than six puppies, but the ultrasound revealed she had more than they would expect. You’ll be shocked once you hear it!
That Was Unexpected!
The vet looked as baffled as the couple. She counted several times with Mariesa and Chris and they got the same number. Storie was a hero mom for carrying these many pups! It was impossible for her to have these many pups. Can you guess how many puppies Storie had?
Twelve Puppies
While the couple expected to hear Storie had around six puppies, the had no idea that the number was double! Yes, Storie was expecting twelve puppies! She was now carrying quite a weight, that’s why it looked like she was going to pop. But what would they do next?
A Huge Family
Adopting a pregnant dog with six puppies was already a challenging task. When the couple learned Storie would give birth to TWELVE puppies, they were left speechless. At first, they were in disbelief, then they asked the doctor what to do next.
Just Wait
The vet told them Storie was fine and they should just wait for her to give birth. The puppies were all looking good on the screen. If in 48 hours she wasn’t ready to give birth, they had to return for another examination. Here’s why Storie waited for so long…
Feel Comfortable
Mariesa and Chris took Storie back and that’s when they decided to change their strategy. They opened the door to their spare bedroom and set up a comfy bed for Storie. She had blankets and pillows, and the whole room for herself.
A Sanctuary For Storie
The couple hoped for the best. They made sure the temperature was good enough and the noises were low, they closed some of the blinds to keep the room shaded for Storie. It was time to wait…
Night Followed
Hours passed and before going to sleep, Mariesa checked Storie to see how she was doing. She was still not in a hurry to become a mom, so Mariesa headed to bed, hoping the next day Storie would deliver her babies.
Noises In the Bedroom
As morning came, Chris headed towards the bedroom where Storie was sleeping and heard noises. He called Mariesa over and slowly opened the door. There, Storie was nursing her 12 puppies! She delivered them during the night, all on her own!
Twelve Cute Babies
Two days after leaving the shelter, Storie gave birth to her babies now that she felt safe at her new home. Mariesa shared on her social media accounts all the updates on Storie’s miracle pregnancy and people started filing adoption cases for the pups!
They Had to Wait
Although people knew they had to wait at least two months for the babies to grow up and spend time with their moms, they were all looking forward to see them, at least on Mariesa’s Instagram updates.
Growing Up
Super-mom Storie did a great job at nursing and caring for all her twelve pups. Weeks passed and her babies opened their eyes and began playing around, goofing around the house and the garden. But while Mariesa and Chris were happy to see Storie playing with them, they knew she’d have to say goodbye…
Foster Parents
Imagine having 23 dogs at home! Mariesa and Chris couldn’t handle all these dogs, so they found foster parents for all the puppies. When they turned 10 weeks old, they were ready to leave their home. The couple would have loved keeping them all, but they didn’t have the means and energy for 23 dogs!
Storie Was Supposed To Stay With Them
The couple was determined to keep Storie with them but her story went viral and people reached out to Mariesa asking about their hero mom dog. A man contacted her and asked if he could meet their dog.
He Loved Storie
The man came to see Storie and loved her so much that he convinced the couple she would have a loving home. He signed the adoption papers and scheduled Storie for a future intervention to have her spayed.
A Good Home
Storie’s adoption and pregnancy had a happy ending, thanks to Mariesa and Chris. If not for them, things would have been different.
Adopt a Companion
Whether it is a dog or a cat, it’s always best to adopt instead of buying a companion. This way, happy stories like this come to life. Shelters need all the help they can get and adopting animals is a great idea.
Fostering
If you cannot adopt or foster a dog, there are many other ways you can help out. Donating materials or money for rescue homes is a good idea as well, and so is volunteering.
Mr. Mo Project
Mariesa and Chris have founded a nonprofit organization that takes care of sick or elderly dogs. Instead of euthanizing them, the couple looks for fosters or adopters that would offer them love and care in their last years.
Check Them Out
There’s no denying that Mariesa and Chris love dogs. Their stories inspired everyone around the world! You can check them out on their Instagram page The Mr. Mo Project. We’re thankful for their efforts and appreciate what they’re doing for dogs in need like Storie.