When Summer – Real Time Rescue stumbled across a pitbull chained up to a tree, she knew she needed to do something to help.
Not only was the pitbull chained in a small area, but she was very visibly pregnant. It wasn’t a good situation for any dog to be in, but especially not for a mama-to-be!
Thankfully, after talking to the dog’s owners, they agreed to surrender the dog and Summer was able to free her from a life of neglect.
Summer immediately took the dog, who was named Blue, to the veterinarian and they set her up in her own comfortable maternity room. She had a plush dog bed and blankets, and within three days, she started going into labor.
Summer said to The Dodo, “As the day went into night, [the puppies] just kept coming and coming.”
In the end, Blue ended up giving birth to 13 puppies!
Of course, since the puppies arrived, Summer knew she needed to find a foster home for Blue and her 13 pups. They needed a home where they could decompress and learn how to live with a family. Summer wasn’t sure they’d be able to find someone willing to take in so many puppies but then Cynthia showed up.
As soon as she saw Blue, she knew she wanted to take in the dog and her puppies as fosters. Caring for 13 puppies is no small feat, but Cynthia and Blue eventually got into a good rhythm and system. The puppies slowly grew, and eventually, they were ready for their forever homes.
All the puppies ended up being placed with loving families, and finally, it was Blue’s turn to leave. She found the perfect home with an attentive family where she can thrive.
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
