The vet was shocked at what she saw on the ultrasound. She counted again, not believing it was true. She froze for a moment, wondering how it could be remotely possible that what she was seeing was real. ADVERTISMENT There was no time to wonder, she needed to talk to the dog’s owners and make some immediate decisions. It was a matter of life or death.

Pit Bull Fans As avid fans of Pit Bulls, Mariesa and Chris had rescued a number of the breed already. In fact, they already had 10 bouncy dogs in their lives to keep things interesting. When they thought about it, though, it seemed like they needed to do more for the breed that was so misunderstood. Even though they had a lot of experience with the dogs, the couple had never seen anything like they saw when they visited the animal shelter that fateful day.

Loving Dog Parents This happy couple had one particular passion in common, their love of animals. When interviewed, Mariesa told the reporter that she had ended up breaking off relationships in the past due to her obsession with dogs. Men never quite understood why she was so passionate about the whole idea of having a house full of pups. When she met Chris, they immediately bonded over their love of dogs, something that continues to grow stronger each day.

Too Many Dogs Nearly all animal shelters or rescues find themselves overwhelmed with the need for space. Unfortunately, even if they want to save all the animals, there’s just not enough resources to care for them all. When Chris and Mariesa entered the Pibbles & More Animal Rescue, they were shocked to realize that the vast majority of the dogs in this shelter were pit bulls. It was shocking how many of the spaces were filled with friendly pit faces. What they didn’t realize was that one was about to change their lives.

A Misunderstood Breed Pit bulls have a bad reputation thanks to great misunderstandings. The dog breed is sturdy and muscular, with large head, but this is no indication of their risk factor. However, many states have made it illegal to own a pit bull and they are one of the most common breeds to end up in animal shelters. Since Chris and Mariesa are aware of the misunderstanding, they’ve adopted a number of pits, but have never had an issue with violence from the dogs. They wanted to help even more of these beautiful dogs find a home, but little did they know what a surprise was in store.

A Loving Face While pit bulls are said to be the most dangerous breed, there is no actual science behind that. Pit bulls can be very loving and loyal dogs, but if they are mistreated due to their strength, they can turn bad, as with any dog. They aren’t genetically engineered to be evil, though and despite being exploited by many, the breed is a wonderful one if you get to know them. Mariesa and Chris were in the shelter, about to meet the adoring pup who would change their lives forever. ADVERTISMENT

The Animal Rescue The couple wandered through the shelter, trying to find the perfect dog to take home. Mariesa had promised that they would only take one dog home . . . but the decision was going to be agonizing. She looked into all those pleading faces and wondered which one to take. And then, she spotted the dog she knew was right for them. ADVERTISMENT

Beyond Pregnant The dog that shuffled toward them to lick the couple’s hands was very, very pregnant. Her belly was swollen with puppies, but she looked up at Mariesa’s face and practically begged to be taken home. She was obviously in need of a loving place to give birth. Mariesa knew instantly that this was the dog for her. But when they went to claim her, something happened that made them wonder if it was truly the right choice. ADVERTISMENT

Dropped at the Shelter The heavily pregnant pit bull’s story was sadder than most and it made Mariesa want to cry. The couple learned that the dog, named Storie, had belonged to a backyard breeder. She’d been brought in to the shelter and surrendered once the breeder realized there was no way they could afford to look after the dog and the puppies that were on their way. Mariesa and Chris knew they had to take this dog home and give her the comfort and love she needed, as well as a place to give birth. But when the vet started to explain Storie’s history, they were shocked. ADVERTISMENT

Overdue The rescue staff explained that Stories hold have given birth already. No one knew why the sad pit bull wasn’t doing anything, though she looked ready to pop at any moment. It was a precarious situation and the dog-loving couple realized that Storie was in trouble. They needed to make a choice and it had to be now. ADVERTISMENT

Help for Storie There was no time left. Storie needed help and as the couple discussed the issue, the pit bull put her head on Mariesa’s knee and pleaded with her eyes. That was really all it took for the woman to decide she was taking the dog home. But was it the right decision? The dog would be carrying around six babies, so that meant their dog family would expand drastically. Could they really take on such a big problem? What they didn’t realize was the size of the issue they were about to face. ADVERTISMENT

Going Home Despite the fact that puppies and Storie would make their doggy family even bigger, resulting in 17 dogs, Mariesa refused to leave Storie at the shelter. She was determined to help the beautiful dog and make sure she had a safe place to have her babies. Then Chris came up with a unique idea. Why not foster Storie and her puppies and the animal rescue would continue to search for homes for all of them. That was the perfect solution, but there was still a problem. What was wrong with Storie? Why wasn’t she birthing the puppies in her swollen belly? ADVERTISMENT

Doing the Research The couple had never seen such a problem in any of the dogs they’d looked after. Why was Storie holding off on having the puppies? They were worried as they started to do some online research to figure out what was going on with their new family member. What they found was terrifying and made them even more worried about Storie. ADVERTISMENT

Trauma and Birth In general, most animals are far more intelligent than we give them credit for. When the couple was researching why the dog might be resisting giving birth, they came across a particular article that explained something that made sense. The article explained that animals go through a lot of trauma and stress when they’re put into rescue shelters. A pregnant dog is at even higher risk. While we know that the shelter is designed to help the dog, it is something that the dog doesn’t necessarily understand. ADVERTISMENT

Immediate Danger Mariela and Chris continued to research and realized that the situation was worse than they’d anticipated. Storie was in danger of losing every one of her puppies if she didn’t have them soon. But something else startled Mariesa. Pregnant dogs in a traumatic situation worry for their babies and will actually refuse to give birth in cases where they feel the puppies would be in danger. It’s a dangerous situation for both mother and pups. The couple knew that they had to get Storie to a vet and fast. It was a life and death matter. ADVERTISMENT