Many of the stories I hear from dog rescue groups are heartwarming, but this one was more heart worming.

It starts with a good deed, continues with a couple of twists, and ends with a strong message on how preventative care for your dog can save you big money on vet bills.

The tale begins in the Lundar area where volunteers from Manitoba Mutts Dog Rescue were notified about a female Bernese mountain dog/cross, whom they call Button. She and a male pointer/cross, since named Zipper, were found as strays with no tattoos or collars. They were smelly and hungry, but were friendly and didn’t appear to be abused.

On the surface, it appeared to be a typical case for the rescue.

“But you kind of roll the dice when you (rescue dogs with unknown backgrounds),” said MMDR spokeswoman Colleen Holloway. “You don’t know what the situation is until you have them checked out at a vet.”

The trip to the vet’s office revealed Button was due to have seven pups within 10 days. Still not a huge deal, because finding good homes for pups is what MMDR does best.

However, there were further complications. The vet tests also found Button was positive for heartworm, igniting a mad scramble among the rescue’s volunteers.

“They had to then quickly find a mom in the Mutts foster group that could nurse, because as soon as she gave birth to them, they had to move the puppies onto another dog who had just finished nursing her dogs,” Holloway said.

The disease isn’t transferable, Holloway said, but caring for the pups would have been hard on Button’s heart. Fortunately, there was a medium-sized mom, named Filly, who was able to fill in as a surrogate for the pups.

“It’s only a miracle that we had (Filly) within the city, because when you’re transporting 48-hour-old puppies in early February, it’s not ideal,” Holloway said. “It was a great story of teamwork.”

If only that was the end of the story.

Filly cared for the pups for a week until she became too ill Sunday evening, resulting in yet another dogged search for a third mom. These poor pups really need to catch a break.

Meanwhile, the MMDR is looking at a $2,000 vet bill to treat the heartworm and another $1,800 to vaccinate the pups before they’re ready for adoption.

“The grand total we’re needing to fundraise immediately is $3,800, all of which is a surprise for our goal of bringing in a freezing dog from up north,” Holloway said.

To make a donation, go to manitobamutts.org.

Holloway’s other reason for calling me was to bring awareness to dog owners of the importance of canine heartworm treatment every spring, which is obviously easier on your pet and your wallet.

The seven pups — three males and four females – will also soon be up for adoption, at which time photos of them will go up on Manitoba Mutts website and Facebook page under the newborn list.

And yes — they’re all as cute as a Button.

BOW WOW BOWLING

If you’re an animal lover who likes bowling, this event is right up your alley.

The Friends Fundraising for Animal Shelters is hosting a Lucky 13 Bingo Bowl on Feb. 22 at Dakota Lanes from 9:30 p.m. to midnight. Tickets are $15 for bowling, shoe rentals, food and silent auction with all proceeds assisting no-kill animal shelters.

Call 204-669-6867 or email marypoppins@mymts.net for tickets or more details.