DAWG saving dogs: Canela’s Tale

DAWG saving dogs: Canela’s Tale DAWG ayudando perros: La Historia de Canela

In 2016, a friend Mona Meier alerted DAWG that a homeless dog with a litter of pups was living on Bahia beach. With help we  located the hiding pups. For over a week, two volunteers went to the beach every day and waited for mom and her pups. Soon the ups started to appear but were very shy. Slowly we were able to encourage them to accept food from us; not without a minor injury to the hand that tried to feed them.

Mom Canela appeared a few days later but was even more reluctant to interact with us. We gathered up the pups and took them into shelter but Mom continued to allude us. Canela’s first litter all had distemper and none survived.

DAWG saving dogs: Canela’s Tale DAWG ayudando perros: La Historia de Canela

We continued our forays into the bush and frequently saw Canela in the neighborhood but were never able to catch her. Six months later neighbors Karina and Roger, who had been leaving food for Canela for months, called to say that she was coming regularly to eat, but was again pregnant. Shortly thereafter Karina called to say that Canela had delivered her pups but had hidden them. Luckily, within a day, Canela began to bring them to Karina’s house. Finally we were able to pick up the whole family and bring them into shelter. Sadly, her second litter also succumbed to distemper. Canela never had this horrible disease.

We treated Canela twice for Ehrlichea (tick disease) and she responded but was never a very happy girl. This year, the doctors  discovered a serious problem with her spleen and removed it. After the surgery, she turned into a happy, friendly, tail-wagging dog.
It was with many tears of joy that the volunteers watched Canela leave with her adopted family, the Willms on June 30th. They also adopted Fuzzy (now Peanut)!

There are over a thousand DAWG tales like Canela’s.

By Shawnell Parker


Donate and volunteer to help more “Canelas”.

CONTACT: Facebook DAWG - Domestic Animal Welfare Group

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