In early March, Jennifer Lewis got a call from her sister — but it wasn’t to catch up. For two months, through brutal winter weather, Lewis’ sister had been caring for a stray pit bull lingering around her suburban Texas backyard. Now she needed Lewis’ help.
“We grew up out in the country,” Lewis, founder and president of told The Dodo, “where people constantly dumped animals, and they found their way to us.”
Lewis’ sister had reached out several times to Dallas Animal Services, but they never showed up.
Finally, when she noticed the pittie limping, she decided enough was enough. She hopped the fence, hoisted the dog over and brought the pit bull inside.
That’s when she realized the sweet, copper-colored girl was very pregnant.
“We immediately started trying to find a rescue that had a foster,” Lewis said.
Unfortunately, no fosters were available. Lewis’ sister already had two dogs and traveled often for work, but the women refused to leave the soon-to-be-mama in a tough spot.
They set her up with a cozy room of her own and worked with a pet sitter to make sure the pit bull always had someone nearby to care for her.
She was so sweet they named her Peach.
At first, Peach felt shy around her foster dog siblings and unsure of loud noises.
“It seems like she’s lived on the street for a little while,” Lewis said. “I’m so happy that she’s not super reactive … She’s very trusting. I mean, she’s got those soulful eyes that when she looks at you, she’s just like, ‘I love you.’”
A couple of weeks after coming inside, Peach gave birth to a litter of nine puppies.
“They’re all great,” Lewis said. “They’re talkative and they’re eating really well … She seems just completely happy and she’s kept the most adorable personality ever.”
Peach is an all-star mom. She eats a lot, has put on some weight and produces plenty of milk for her babies.
Before she gave birth, an X-ray showed Peach’s leg was dislocated, but she had been too pregnant to risk anesthesia for surgery. She’ll go back in for a procedure once her babies are weaned.
This week, the puppies had their first weigh-in and deworming. Their eyes are opening, and Lewis is working on tracking down fosters for them — and for Peach, who will need an experienced foster to care for her post-surgery.
Peach loves playing with toys and other dogs. Lewis describes her as “a doll.”
After everything she’s been through, Peach continues to show affection and appreciation to everyone around her. Hopefully, she’ll land in a forever home with a family who can treat her like the princess she is.