Rescued dog 'adopts' 11 puppies

Della steps in as mom for orphaned dogs

Della the dog is a new mom to five puppies. Now she's taking on 11 more.

A rescued dog named Della is now the one doing the saving: She is helping take care of 11 orphaned puppies.

The Lucas County Pit Crew in Toledo, Ohio, coordinated the adoption, WTVG reported.

Recommended Videos



"We're through the most difficult part, which was the first 24 hours. She's cleaning them, she's accepted them, and everybody is eating," said the rescue group's executive director, Jean Keating. 

Della was rescued when she was pregnant and injured. She delivered her five pups by C-section, and the whole family is doing well. 

When Della was headed in for a checkup recently, the group found out the puppies' mom wouldn't make it. So, the group gave Della a chance to interact with the newborns.

"We started working with Della trying to give her scent to the puppies and rubbing the puppies on her fur and showing them to her," Keating told WTVG. "It didn't take long for Della to say 'I got this.'"

The puppies will nurse for a few weeks and then be weaned, a two-week process. They'll be available for adoption in August, WTVG reported. 

Della will also be up for adoption after the puppies are weaned and she's deemed healthy.