Community Unites to Rescue Nana and Her Nine Charming, Peter Pan-Inspired Puppies

When a Facebook post about a dog and her nine puppies needing new homes began circulating, a community rallied together to ensure the animals received the care they desperately required.

Nana, a four-year-old dog, had spent the previous three years tied outside her home in North Carolina. Unfortunately, her first two litters did not survive.

However, her third litter of nine puppies did, and the dog's owner decided it was time to give away Nana and her puppies as soon as they were born.

In July, when the owner shared his intent to give away the dogs, local residents who were familiar with the situation took action. The team at Faithful Friends Animal Sanctuary (FFAS) heard about Nana's plight and reached out to Mr. Bones & Co. Rescue for additional assistance.

"They sent us pictures showing the poor conditions Nana was living in," recounted Elli Frank, founder of Mr. Bones & Co., to The Dodo. "We believed she had moved her puppies to a ditch to shield them from the scorching July sun. It was heartbreaking."

FFAS agreed to care for Nana and her puppies until they were ready for a move to New York, where Mr. Bones & Co. is based. During their stay, rescuers from Mr. Bones & Co. visited regularly to help Nana and her pups gain confidence, aiming to make their future relocation smoother.

"Nana had been bred twice before, and nearly all her babies had died," Frank explained. "She was a protective mother who had suffered much neglect and loss. We wanted her to feel safe, both with us and FFAS."

In a whimsical nod to the classic tale, the puppies were named after characters from Peter Pan—Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, Tiger Lily, Wendy, John, Michael, Cubby, Liza, and Jane.

As the puppies grew healthy and strong, the time came in mid-September for Nana and her family to begin their journey north.

Pilots N Paws transported them to New Jersey, where Mr. Bones & Co. welcomed them and took them to New York. At last, Nana and her puppies were safe.

Upon their arrival, each of the nine puppies was placed into a foster home, and Nana, exhausted from the journey, was finally able to settle into her own foster arrangement. As she cuddled with her rescuers in the car, Nana seemed at peace for the first time in a long while.

"Through our visits, Nana learned to trust us and gave her puppies to loving fosters who would care for them until they found permanent homes," Frank noted. "She knew she had done her part and finally managed to save her babies and ensure their survival."

Currently, Nana and her puppies are thriving in their foster homes, with Nana's foster family even considering adopting her. The puppies continue to grow healthier each day, much to the delight of everyone involved in their rescue. Despite the long journey, Nana and her puppies are now safe and content.