Thursday was a chilly day in Asheville, North Carolina, but nevertheless, someone abandoned an emaciated Great Dane on the road near the Biltmore Estate. It had been an honest Samaritan who spotted the emaciated dog as well as her ribs showing appearing to be very scared and nervous. There was more to the story.
The kind woman approached the dog to assist bring her to safety, but the dog’s worried face indicated quite her being loosed; that’s when the dog led her rescuer to a box near the side of the road; it had been crammed with a dozen ten-day-old puppies. It had been obvious the mother dog had no intentions of leaving her litter behind.
The entire family was delivered to the Asheville Humane Society for care. Here, the mom, dubbed Clarice as well as her puppies named after reindeer characters from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer movie, begin their new lives.
Clarice weighs 74 pounds; a dog of her breed and size should weigh from 100 to 130 pounds. Her puppies weighed in at one pound. Sadly, one puppy didn't make it. The sad update came from the dogs’ family last night: “Unfortunately, the sweet baby runt gave up the ghost last night. Sadly, it is too small and weak. As you recognize, it can happen; it never gets easier when it does. Our hearts ache. The remainder of the babies do great, fat and happy.”
It will be a minimum of six weeks before Clarice’s puppies are available for adoption. During these many weeks in the care of Asheville Humane, this sweet family of 12 will all need food, vaccines, medical aid and spay/neuter surgeries. Please consider donating any amount toward 12 second chances for the 12 Danes of Christmas, to assist this not-so-little family thrives.
Interested adopters – please note! it'll be a minimum of six weeks before the puppies are ready for adoption. We don't know the father’s breed, therefore, the puppies might not be Great Danes themselves… time will tell! Thanks to the extremely high volume of interest, we aren't ready to take names or hold puppies beforehand. Please follow our page for updates along the way and that we will share the news when the pups are eventually able to find their forever homes! Thank you”.