Some of my family and close friends are aware of the winding adventure that led to my ownership of two beautiful puppies. While definitely not expected, they’re welcomed additions to my life – often softening my natural hardline tendencies.
Back in late March, shortly after my return from spring break in Key West, I noticed a stray dog wandering around my house on Horton Street. This dog stayed around 2-3 blocks in the neighborhood, appeared malnourished, and had enlarged nipples. My neighbor Ronnie began feeding her periodically and we mutually agreed to take turns leaving food and water out, assuming she had puppies in one of the nearby abandoned homes. She was very afraid, constantly barked at any nearby person, and refused to come within 30 feet of us, even if we had food.
One day my neighbor Ronnie realized she was afraid of me, and called both of us over. After holding her still and letting me approach her with a dog bone, her demeanor changed drastically. All of a sudden, Lady (a name given by Ronnie) became my new best friend.
As weeks went on, she refused to leave my side. Every time I was working in my yard or house, she would linger right next to me, following me into my house and even running after my car as I left. Then she started getting bigger – much bigger. I decided to take her to the vet, fearing that she had worms or pyometra. A couple hours later, the Hurley Dog and Animal Hospital told me she’s holding at least 7 puppies, confirming it with a rather blurry x-ray. They asked if I wanted to abort the puppies, but commented that they all appear quite healthy.
I decided to move her into my yard, kept her well fed and watered, and provided a soon-to-be chicken coop as shelter. Over the next two weeks, I spent most mornings and evenings with her, and she’d often rest next to me as I studied for my final exams of my final semester at U of M.
Napping while I study
It was Cinco de Mayo, and we were doing a photo shoot at the Michigan Urban Farming Initiative’s farm site for Green Building and Design Magazine. I walked over to make sure Lady was doing alright, but she was nowhere to be found. We spent about about a half hour looking for her, before noticing a new gap in the fence. Eventually we found her – she was giving birth on the second floor of a nearby abandoned home. Three puppies were already out, laying on burned clothes near rusty nails, crawling around for security. Surprisingly, she let me and my friend Tyson carry her and the puppies back over to the chicken coop, where she slowly finished her labor. Walking into a nearby field in between contractions, we could tell she was quickly getting tired. Six hours later, approaching dark, I left her and the 7 puppies with plenty of food and water, only to return in the morning to 11 puppies.
She was literally birthing on burned clothing
Within a few days, it became apparent that Lady needed help. Sadly, two young puppies were stolen from my yard, necessitating their relocation into my dining room. A few days later, the biggest one passed away. With 8 puppies left, my final exam weeks were filled with hours of bottle feeding and puppy cleaning. Eventually I fed the puppies a innovative mix of ground puppy food, Gerber rice powder, and water.
Lady was a trooper, she provided as much as she was able but still needed assistance in feeding
About 5 weeks of my life looked like this
Fast forwarding 6 months, Lady is no longer with us. Unprovoked, she bit a neighbor, which necessitated an expensive tetanus shot in the ER. She became increasingly protective and appeared to be extremely hostile towards a specific demographic, possibly due to previous abuse. I made the tough decision of putting her down, after about a month of deliberation. All of her puppies were adopted out. From Pinckney to Royal Oak and Eastpointe to Downtown Detroit, they all have great homes with responsible long-time friends of mine. Some of them resemble Pit Bulls, while others look like Golden Retrievers. A few almost have a Whippet resemblance. It’s a very diverse litter mix, indicating 3 or 4 fathers.
Transporting the puppies was difficult, but filled with cuteness
This brings me to another point: Packs of dogs in Detroit. Whether by Eastern Market or in the North End, nearly every week I see packs of 4 to 8 dogs quickly moving through the neighborhood. An article was recently published, stating that there may be 50,000 stray dogs in the city. While I doubt it is that high, I certainly believe the city is becoming much more natural, and feral dogs are definitely reverting to their wolf-like instincts. Dogs are almost a safety necessity for those living outside of Downtown and Midtown, but they need to be cared for appropriately. Every puppy I had was fixed and vaccinated, thanks to an amazing grant through All About Animals, a great clinic in Southwest Detroit.
Sandy (left) and Zeta (right) – yes, they’re sisters
I kept two dogs, and things have become more manageable in recent months. Zeta and Sandy are sisters, but couldn’t be more different. Sandy is the alpha dog, big, fluffy, and very playful. Zeta was the runt, who came to me, not her mother during feeding time. She was often crowded out, and early on would cry all night unless I let her fall asleep on my chest. They’re great dogs. Sandy will be a great running dog this winter, with her long hair and long legs. Zeta is a summer dog, she’ll accompany me on excursions in the heat of the summer.
Exploring Detroit wildlife with Zeta
Although this experience was often tiring and tedious, these puppies have taught me some invaluable lessons. I’ve never had to take another precious life into my hands, let alone a dozen of them. With the help of many others, a too often sad story became an amazing opportunity that has undoubtedly brought joy into the lives of many others. A story like this can only happen in such a sometimes backward, yet amazing city like Detroit.
This blog post was contributed by: Darin McLeskey (@darinmcleskey).