Introducing Georgia, a courageous and tenacious shepherd mix who embarked on a challenging journey filled with both heartache and triumph. Initially found at a remote gas station, Georgia’s future appeared uncertain. But fate took an unexpected turn when her pregnancy was discovered, offering her a fresh start, albeit with its own set of hurdles.
Following her rescue, Georgia, a petite shepherd mix, received a thorough veterinary examination that revealed her impending motherhood, with the puppies expected in about a month. As days passed, Georgia acclimated to her new environment, basking in the freedom and comfort of a welcoming backyard.
Her excitement peaked on the fifteenth day as she eagerly explored her whelping pool. However, tragedy struck on the twenty-fifth day when she went into premature labor. The puppies, too tiny to latch, faced vulnerability and struggled to survive. Two of Georgia’s pups sadly didn’t make it past birth. In a desperate bid to save Georgia’s life, an emergency C-section and spaying were performed.
While Georgia physically recuperated from the ordeal, emotional scars lingered as she yearned for her lost babies. In an effort to offer her comfort and purpose, three motherless newborn kittens were introduced to her on the twenty-seventh day. Despite her grief, Georgia’s nurturing instincts kicked in, and she wholeheartedly embraced the kittens as her own. Even though not all the kittens could latch, Georgia diligently cared for them, bottle-feeding them until they could thrive independently.
Regrettably, one of the kittens passed away, leaving two healthy and thriving babies, named Graffiti and Gumball. Georgia’s dedication to her surviving offspring remained steadfast, providing them with the love and care they needed to flourish. Day by day, the bond between Georgia and her kittens grew stronger, and they found solace and contentment in each other’s presence.
On the thirty-second day, Georgia proudly christened her babies—Graffiti, Gumball, and the newest addition, Goober. The little family flourished, with the kittens opening their eyes, gaining weight, and reveling in the love and protection of their devoted mother.
However, on the forty-fifth day, a new challenge arose as Georgia developed a visible tumor. This brave shepherd mix was about to embark on a journey of cancer treatment and recovery, temporarily separating her from her beloved kittens. Despite this setback, Georgia’s prognosis was positive, and a full recovery was anticipated.
Day 50 marked a new chapter for Georgia as she transitioned to her adoptive home under the name Milo. Her new dad, @torbazorb14, provided her with love, care, and unwavering support throughout her cancer treatment. Day by day, Georgia’s strength and resilience shone through, and on day 70, she completed her final chemo treatment. This resilient little lady, who had endured abandonment, loss, and medical challenges, emerged victorious.
As Georgia continued her recovery, her kittens rapidly grew. They reached a healthy weight of 2.5 pounds and reveled in newfound confidence. While the author, a self-proclaimed dog person, acknowledged missing the mischievous kittens, they celebrated the happy endings awaiting them.
On day 95, a long-awaited reunion unfolded between Georgia (now Milo) and her kitten Gumball, now known as Toby. However, reality didn’t quite align with fairy-tale expectations. Milo displayed a hint of fear, serving as a reminder that animals express their emotions honestly. Nevertheless, it marked a genuine and joyous ending for Milo and Toby.
Supermarket in Finland welcomes dogs, with special carts for canine customers
The grocery store in the Finnish city of Tampere even has an official golden retriever who tests out dog treats and shares the results in Instagram videos.
A ‘su-paw-market’ in Finland is welcoming canine customers, with specially-adapted carts which allow dog owners to bring their pooches grocery shopping.
The Kesko grocery chain in the city of Tampere has introduced the “Koirakärry” – dog cart – as a way to welcome in more dog-owning customers at one of its stores, where usually only service animals would be permitted inside the aisles.
“The idea is already used in some countries, but not in Finland, and we have a lot of dog owners nearby,” explains Matilda Tistelgren, who has been operating the supermarket with her partner Joona Pesonen since the spring.
“We have a golden retriever ourselves, and if we go out jogging with the dog and forget something from the store, we don’t want to go home, leave the dog, then have to return to the store ourselves, we want to be able to take the dog with us,” Matilda tells Euronews.
The carts have a dog bed in the bottom, and a clip for leads or harnesses, with owners encouraged to pick up their pups and put them inside – although a future version of the cart might include a small ramp so the dogs can walk in unaided.
Since taking over the management of the supermarket in Tampere’s neighbourhood Kissanmaa – which funnily enough translates as “Cat’s Land” – Matilda and Joona have introduced other pet-friendly innovations.
The couple’s own retriever Tove appears on Instagram with ‘Tove Tastes’ videos where she samples different dog treats.
“Our customers love it,” exclaims Matilda. “In this part of town we have a lot of dog owners and that means a lot of dog customers too, and we already have a lot of hairy regulars,” she adds.
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