A Second Chance for Audrey

After caring for six puppies who are now thriving in their forever homes, Audrey is still fighting for her own second chance.

At just three years old, Audrey should have her whole life ahead of her. Instead, this devoted mom arrived in our care with six newborn pups.

It’s no surprise that many families fell in love with Audrey's six adorable puppies.

But behind every wagging tail and puppy cuddle is a mom who had been carrying more than anyone realized.

From Rescue to Medical Mission

Near the end of June, we were contacted by one of our care partners about a pregnant dog named Audrey. With limited resources to house, treat, and rehome animals, small rescues and organizations rely on transfer partners like HSKWSP for support.

We arranged for Audrey to be transferred to our Stratford Perth Animal Centre on June 29, but the day before, she gave birth to six puppies: Holly, Eliza, Aria, Lady, Sabrina, and the only boy, Roman.

Finally settled at our shelter, our team completed the routine examinations for the new arrivals. Audrey was diagnosed with heartworm, Lyme disease, and fractured teeth.

While she nursed her puppies in the shelter, our medical team came up with a plan and began months of treatment to restore her health and give her a brighter future.

• A spay procedure
• Extensive dental work, with extractions of multiple fractured teeth
• Treatment for Lyme disease
• Preparations for heartworm injections

These were just first steps in her recovery, and we now knew that her medical costs and time in our care would be more than anticipated.

But we also knew that with proper care, Audrey could recover, raise her puppies, and eventually find a loving forever home.

Healing in Foster Care

We were fortunate enough to find a caring foster home for Audrey and her babies in August. Every day, Audrey chose to care for her puppies and fight for her health at the same time.

While she continued to receive medical treatment and spend time recovering, her pups still relied on her to nurse and raise them. She cared for them until each of them were ready to find their forever home, and all six were adopted before the end of August.

Since then, she started to learn how to be a dog – relaxing, playing, and cuddling with her foster family. We were able to move to the final step of her treatment plan: heartworm injections.

This includes a series of three injections to kill the heartworms, during which time she will not be allowed to run or play as exercise during heartworm treatment is dangerous for the dog.

We started the treatment at the end of September, so Audrey will have some strict limits in her foster home until treatment is over and she can finally get ready to find her forever home.

At just three years old, Audrey still has a lifetime of love ahead of her. We’re asking our community to help cover the cost of treatments, surgery, diagnostics, and medications for Audrey so she can finally heal and start living her life.