No dog should ever be left without a home. The trauma of abandonment leaves long-term consequences, making it really hard to gain their trust again. Mama, the abandoned Pittie found in the fields of California, was left at the mercy of the wilderness. This skittish girl spent months fending for herself, far away from any living soul.
Every time someone would come near her, she would run away in fear. For some reason, Mama was really scared of humans, and she didn’t let anyone approach her… until one day, a kind-hearted man made a life-saving decision!
Left In The Middle Of Nowhere
Danny Spanks, the radio DJ from Bakersfield, California, and the founder of A SafeFurr Place Animal Rescue, is a long-time dog rescuer. Before he even met Mama, he had been involved in saving dozens of stray doggos from terrible conditions.
Seeing a scared and mistreated canine transform into a brand-new dog has always been Danny’s biggest passion. And, now it was time to help Mama! Before Danny, numerous people posted about this Pittie who had been hiding in the fields by a road, far away from any populated area.
Mama somehow survived 15 long months on her own before Danny spotted her for the first time.
Even though Danny wasn’t sure how this beautiful girl ended up alone, he assumes that Mama was used for breeding and then dumped far away from her original home.
“Dogs like Mama get pregnant, they have their babies, maybe mama nurses them for a certain amount of time and then mama is taken someplace and dumped,” says Danny.
Mama was hiding in a random orchard outside Bakersfield next to a pile of rubbish that included a mattress and box springs. To make sure she wouldn’t go far away, the next day, Danny improvised a shelter for her and made it her feeding station.
Many Failed Rescue Attempts
Every day, this giant-hearted man would drive for about an hour to see Mama. Even though she was still too afraid to approach him, Danny was patient. He would sit in the orchard with the food, turn his back to Mama, and wait.
He repeated this process for months until one day, Mama slowly approached her rescuer. She carefully sniffed his back, took the food lying next to him, and then ran away.
Even though she still had a long way to go, Danny was so happy to see Mama coming out of her shell. The fact that she came close to him was huge, and Danny knew that it was only a matter of time when she would let her guard down.
The next following months, Danny spent on the road, visiting Mama on a daily basis. It was now a ritual – he would park near the orchard, sit in the field, and wait for Mama to come.
After some time, this pawdorable girl started wagging her tail every time she heard the sound of Danny’s car. She literally did zoomies at a safe distance, celebrating the fact that her buddy was coming.
One day, Danny layed on the ground, put some treats in his hand, and waited. After careful consideration, Mama slowly approached Danny and took the treats from his hand.
That was the first time ever that this sweet dog touched Danny’s hand. He was over the moon to finally see Mama open up, but despite his happiness, he held his guard not to scare her.
Eventually, Mama completely warmed up to Danny. She would follow him around, sit next to him, and take treats from his hand. As she didn’t let him put a leash on her, Danny decided to try a different approach.
With a few of his friends, he set a humane trap and lured Mama into it with food. The moment she entered it, Danny knew – Mama was finally safe!
Mama – The Sweetest Lovebug
The two spent months working on Mama’s trust. It took hard work and lots of socialization, but eventually, Mama blossomed into a wonderful companion.
“Every time she’s just next to me, and she has a smile on her face. I just take it in, and it means so much to me. That was always the goal, to have this dog trust me and love me the same way I love her,” Danny told The Dodo.
She even started interacting with other dogs and other people. Danny discovered that Mama loves kids very much! She is absolutely head over heels about her little neighbor, Ryden.
The two have a special bond, and sometimes it feels like Ryden is Mama’s favorite hooman in the world. When he’s around, there’s absolutely no one else for her.
Danny decided to keep Mama for good. For Danny, seeing her finally happy after so much time of coping is the best feeling in the world. That’s why Mama will never, ever have to worry about finding a new home again. She already has the perfect one!
