About two months ago, workers at a construction waste landfill noticed a heavily pregnant dog wandering around the property.
“She was just kind of roaming, clearly hungry,” said Nancy Cowan, a volunteer and board member with Three Little Pitties Rescue. “The employees at the ticket office had been putting food out for her.”
Sadly, the landfill has become a frequent dumping ground for abandoned dogs—especially expectant mothers. The staff are no strangers to helping strays until rescuers can step in.
But after a few days of feeding the pregnant pup, she vanished. When she returned, noticeably thinner, Cowan knew exactly what had happened.
“She’d had her puppies—somewhere,” Cowan said.
Determined to find the new mom and her litter, Cowan began searching the landfill. She knew mother dogs often hide their pups under dumpsters for protection, so she checked each one carefully.
Then she noticed something: a patch of high grass near a dumpster, flattened into a narrow trail leading underneath.
“That was my clue,” Cowan said.
Sure enough, nestled under the dumpster was the mother dog, standing guard over her tiny puppies. At first, she was too frightened to let anyone close.
Cowan spent several days gently earning her trust with food and patience. Eventually, the dog allowed Cowan to approach—and meet her babies.
A rescue team soon arrived to safely move the mom and her litter to a nearby nursery, where they could rest, heal, and begin a new chapter.
Since then, the mom—now named Lucy—has been thriving. She’s soaking up all the love and care she missed out on, including being treated to a special breakfast in bed on Mother’s Day.
Once Lucy is spayed, she’ll be ready for adoption.
“She is one grateful mama,” the rescue shared on Instagram, “and we are grateful to be part of her journey.”
As for her six puppies, they’re growing fast and full of life. One has already found a forever home, while the others—Teddy, Cleo, Sadie, Rusty, and Willow—are waiting to meet their families.
“The puppies are flourishing,” Cowan said.
What began as a quiet path through tall grass led to an entire family’s second chance—and now, their future is brighter than ever.
If you're interested in adopting Lucy or her puppies, you can check out their adoption pages here.
