Pregnancy is no joke, no matter your species. It’s tough on your body, on your confidence, and also your mental health – and I have to imagine all of that goes at least double for a heavily pregnant pooch whose owners decided they didn’t want her anymore.
People are terrible.
This is Mama Pickles – a 2yo Pit Bull that was found wandering, alone and pregnant, before ending up at a shelter.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3N924yDHtk/
The original shelter couldn’t offer her all of the support she needed, and so she went to Pits & Giggles, a non-profit organization that specializes in caring for pregnant dogs, nursing dogs, and their puppies. Mama Pickles was very, very heavy with pups but also happy to be among friends.
Like most who rescue dogs, volunteer (and professional photographer) Lauren Casteen Sykes is proud of the work they do, caring for these special mamas, and she also takes pride in the pictures she takes that will hopefully find mama and babies homes when they’re ready to go their separate ways.
She and the others fell in love with Mama Pickles, and I think it really shines through in her beautiful maternity shoot.
Pickles gave birth not long after the original shoot, to 8 healthy (all girl!) puppies – and of course, some followup images were needed.
I am all atwitter over these pictures, y’all – she looks way better than I did at this stage of pregnancy and motherhood!
Kudos to Pickles for making it through, and here’s hoping she never has to go through this again – her next family should be her forever family, right?
I want her myself!