Momma Monroe and Her Newborn Puppies: Saved From the Streets, At Last
Celebrating 10 years of rescue: Monroe and her puppies (2024)
To celebrate our 10-year anniversary, we are featuring a favorite rescue story from each year. For 2024, we revisit one of our most elusive street dogs: Monroe.
Surviving the streets
For almost two years, Monroe was a name we knew but a dog we couldn't quite catch.
Monroe is a shy street dog who first showed up on our radar back in September 2022. A neighbor told us she'd already had three or four litters and that she'd once had a home—but when her family moved away, they left her behind to fend for herself. From that point on, Monroe was on her own.
The first rescue
In September 2022, Monroe and her two street dog companions, Harley and Montana, wandered near the home of one of our volunteers. Carol started feeding all three, slowly building the trust that street rescue depends on. It worked—we were able to trap Harley and Montana that December.
But we had a hunch Monroe was hiding something: puppies. Sure enough, we eventually found them tucked deep beneath an abandoned house. In January 2023, we rescued all six of Monroe's puppies. Monroe herself was another story. We tried to trap her more times than we can count, and every single time, she outsmarted us.
Gone, then back again
For a while, Monroe disappeared from view entirely. Then she resurfaced—and this time, volunteer Antonia stepped in, feeding her daily and keeping a close eye on where she was spending her time. It didn't take long to notice Monroe looked pregnant again. Then we got the confirmation we were dreading and hoping for at once: puppies, caught on the game camera.
Caught, at Last
This time, luck was on our side. Monroe had given birth inside a shed, which meant she had only one way in and out. We set a trap at the shed door, and after nearly two years of trying, we finally caught Monroe.
We also rounded up all nine of her newborn puppies (and dubbed them the “Pasta Litter.”) The whole family was finally safe. They moved into a loving foster home where Monroe nursed her puppies without fear for the first time in her life.
Since being rescued, the whole family, including Momma Monroe, has been adopted!
It takes a village
Stories like Monroe's are a reminder of just how much time, patience, and sheer persistence street rescue requires.
We're endlessly grateful to everyone who fed her, watched her, and refused to give up on her—even when Monroe made it as hard as possible for us to help her.
How You Can Help
None of this is possible without support from people like you. To celebrate 10 years of rescue, our goal is to raise $10,000 through our 10 for 10 Challenge. Every dollar will go directly toward lifesaving veterinary care, food, boarding, training, supplies, and the countless expenses that come with saying “yes” when a dog has nowhere else to turn.
Will you help us continue saving dogs like Monroe and her pups to give them the life they deserve? Your generosity is the reason families like Monroe's get a second chance.