MAMCO steps in to rescue pregnant and nursing dogs.
Dogs have long been known as man’s best friend. Like humans, dogs are social creatures, and neither are meant to thrive alone. From the time dogs became domesticated, they have depended on people for their survival. However, people have discovered their need for a dog’s support just as much.
Where Did My Friend Go?
With the country locking down due to COVID-19, people were secluded in their homes and looking for connection. This sparked the idea that fostering or adopting a canine companion was the perfect antidote for loneliness.
As life continues to ease back some-what to normal, many of these new best friends are no longer lavishing in their new oases’, but instead are being returned to the rescue facility where they came from. Shelters and rescue organizations that had no animals early in the pandemic now find themselves full.
Pregnant and Nursing Moms Plus Pups
In Englewood, Colorado, MAMCO Rescue (Moms and Mutts Colorado) has been particularly hit hard. MAMCO is a non-profit organization that specifically rescues pregnant and nursing dogs, along with their puppies and then nurtures them until adopted.
MAMCO operates as other rescue facilities do, except they receive up to a dozen or more dogs to take care of every time one of the moms give birth.
Now, they have the extra challenge of tending to surrendered dogs that had been adopted.
“This is the first time in four years that we have had to close our intake and it is killing me,” says Aron Jones, executive director of MAMCO. Jones explains that the most common reasons fosterers and adopters are returning their dogs are behavioral issues or simply because they no longer have time for their dog now that they’ve resumed working.
Dogs Don’t Like Quarantining Either
Jones attributes the behavioral issues as a direct result of the pandemic, since there was an inability to attend in-person training classes particularly. Although resources online used for training allowed the dog to learn basic commands, no one was there to train the people effective ways to communicate with the dog. She says that the returned dogs did show issues of fear and aggression, noting that this tends to happen to a dog who is isolated and not able to socialize with other dogs.
MAMCO primarily rescues from Texas and New Mexico, and right now moms and their puppies in need are at an all-time high according to Jones. “The overpopulation issue is worse than I’ve ever seen,” she admits.
According to Jones, this problem is also due to the COVID-19 shut-down. She says many of the dogs who would’ve been spayed or neutered weren’t able to be because of veterinary clinics either temporarily closing or stopping surgical procedures.
Mommy N’ Me
Jones is a partner in another rescue organization in Texas named “Mommy N’ Me”. This organization follows the same concept as MAMCO, except that the intakes are only from Texas because the overpopulation of unwanted dogs is an even bigger problem there, Jones says. She declares that the Mommy N’ Me rescue project has been extremely successful in helping decrease the number of unwanted, abandoned, or stray puppies and pregnant/nursing dogs.
If these dogs aren’t taken in by a rescue organization, many are euthanized. It’s also likely that they’ll either contract a disease and/or be mistreated. “I had to turn away a pregnant German Shepard last week because we didn’t have anywhere to put her, and she was euthanized. I cried when I heard,” said Jones. She explains trying to find someone able to foster the mom, but couldn’t, describing the situation as “heartbreaking.”
Preventing the Widespread Epidemic
MAMCO ensures that their intakes of pregnant or nursing dogs are spayed to prevent seeing the numbers rise any more. On average Jones says each year MAMCO rescues between 2,800 to 3,000 moms and puppies.
The dogs and puppies are cared for by MAMCO until they are adopted, regardless of how long that takes. However, their adoption numbers have fallen, many of their fosterers have quit and the addition of surrendered dogs have led to the overwhelming overflow. Denying dogs in need is not their only struggle – MAMCO is now trying to manage a financial crisis.
An Unexpected Financial Burden
Jones says that MAMCO usually houses five adult dogs, typically moms. But now, they have 15 adults and 30 older puppies to feed, provide space for comfortable and safe living areas, and supply essential booster shots that are normally covered by adopters. The costs for the long-term health and well-being of all the rescued and returned dogs has been astronomical, stresses Jones.
The cost for spays and neuters across Colorado has also doubled from when MAMCO first opened. This is another factor Jones points out that affects MAMCO’s budget. Monetary donations are always accepted at MAMCO, as Jones states, “99.9% of all monetary donations that come into MAMCO are used to pay for veterinary care. We do fecal exams on all of our dogs to ensure that we catch any parasites that they may have arrived with.”
Loyal Friends and Lots of Belly Rubs
Although finding the dogs a forever home with a loving adopter has been challenging, the lack of foster homes having fosterers is also impacting MAMCO’s rescue intake. Jones refers to fosterers as “the lifeblood of MAMCO.” She continues to express her gratitude stating, “We go above and beyond to make sure that the fosterers never have to spend their own money and they always have whatever supplies they need.” This is MAMCO’s way of making sure the fosterers are cared for while they care for the dogs.
Before deciding to adopt, Jones recommends that people who are interested ask themselves, “Who am I?” This allows someone to realistically access their physical activity, work schedule, time constraints and living circumstances. These answers can impact if it’s a perfect match for them and that type of dog.
Lending Support to MAMCO
If you would like to lend support to MAMCO other than fostering or adopting a dog, donations of wire playpens, crates, sheets, towels, collars, leashes, cleaning supplies and money donations are all helpful. MAMCO also has an Amazon wish list and a variety of other ways to donate on their website www.mamcorescue.org. Also please read ‘Every Dog Has its Day: Pit Bull Rescue in Colorado Springs,’ before you dismiss a pit bull or pit bull mix for adoption.
I work in a Lakewood urgent care servicing human health needs, but I’d be the first to say that animals have so many needs, too. At least with human urgent cares, you can try to circumvent those expensive bills. It’s so much harder with man’s best friend, and I know so many patients dealing with that on top of their own concerns. Keep up the great work.
Thank you for your comment. We are all animal lovers at The Maverick Observer and hope all the rescue animals get a forever home.