This story is about a true hero. Animal rescuers knew of a stray dog in the Dallas area, reportedly abandoned by his family. Rescuers tried multiple times to bring him in, but he always managed to escape. Then one day, he seemed to be inviting them to follow him. Imagine the surprise of the rescuers when they came upon a mother canine and her 10 newborn pups hidden deep in the woods. Hero, as he has since been named, knew that the new family would need the love and support of a shelter to thrive.
It's unclear if Hero is the father of these pups, or if he just happened to encounter the mother in her vulnerable state. I would like to believe that his evasion of the rescuers was done so that he could act as protector to the mother-to-be while she reached the final stages of labor and finally gave birth. Perhaps he knew that the mother would not want to be moved from her makeshift shelter until all the puppies had been delivered, but also wanted to ensure that he was around to get help when it became necessary.
Most father dogs show respectful indifference to puppies, and don't typically demonstrate any paternal instincts. While they will not attack a puppy, they also will not display any specific acts of nurturing. Mothers are typically wary of male dogs approaching her pups, even if the male dog in question is the father. But these facts only highlight how incredible Hero's actions were. A true savior, it's hard to believe that any family would heartlessly discard him. I'm sure that wherever he ends up, Hero's new family will have nothing but love for him.
What do you think of Hero? Have you ever heard of anything like this before? Tell us your stories by commenting below.