Pregnant Rescue Dog Gives Birth, Moment She Attacks Owner Caught on Camera
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A couple who brought in a pregnant foster dog experienced a brief scare after the mother went after the woman, trying to protect her babies.
JJ Knight and his partner, Ella, quickly stepped in to foster a pregnant St. Bernard named Daisy. Her previous owner surrendered her due to being unable to fund her birth. They were told Daisy would give birth in a few weeks, but only four days into fostering, the day arrived.
She gave birth at the veterinarian's office after the couple took Daisy there for a health check. They learned she was underweight, low on calcium, and had been overbred; this became her third litter in three years.
They transferred her from the vet's office, which was closing, to the emergency vet mid labor, as they did not feel comfortable bringing her back home knowing she still had low calcium.
"Once the puppies started feeding on her, they could deplete her calcium levels so much, she could end up having a seizure," Knight told Newsweek via email.
Daisy gave birth to nine puppies, and despite the health scare, both momma and her babies all survived. They received the all clear to go home, where the couple had a whelping pen ready for her to use.
Screenshots from a July 7 Instagram video of a St. Bernard mother attacking her rescuer while trying to protect her puppies.
Screenshots from a July 7 Instagram video of a St. Bernard mother attacking her rescuer while trying to protect her puppies.
@thegoldenkobefamily/Instagram
While caring for this mother and her pups, Knight and Ella noticed Daisy change, almost giving up on her babies, which the couple thought could be because this was her third litter in three years. She stopped feeding the puppies. She kept leaving the whelping pen. Daisy became protective, but not caring, Knight said.
That's when Daisy went after Ella one day when she came in to check on them. Their July 7 Instagram video, posted to the account @thegoldenkobefamily, showed a feeling coming over Daisy as she attacked Ella, barking and snipping.
"It was strange because we were with her the whole time during the birth, and helped her, and she was more than happy to be helped," Knight said. "Once she had given birth, she was happy for us to place the puppies on her teat for milk, happy for us to come and feed her."
Because the puppies were not getting enough food or stimulation, the couple consulted experts and was advised to separate them from Daisy. They began bottlefeeding all nine puppies every two hours, which they said became the hardest nights of their life.
Luckily, the couple received help. Another foster parent took in five of the puppies, with another St. Bernard mom who accepted the new babies as hers. Someone else brought in Daisy and a few other pups. Knight and Ella kept three to hand-feed. And now, all nine puppies and Daisy have been adopted.
Looking back on Daisy's moment of attack, Knight said Ella didn't take it to heart.
"It was scary at the time, but she was just being a protective mother," Knight said.
But this incident led Knight and Ella to be more cautious around Daisy, taking precautionary steps to make sure she didn't feel the need to become protective of her babies around them.
Knight said they've received hate on Instagram for the incident, with many comments stating the warning signs were there and they meddled too much. But Knight explained the whole story couldn't be told in a three-minute reel. They shared a longer YouTube video, with the help of their strategist Leroy ter Braak, to explain the situation.
"We know we did things wrong, but we got as much help from professionals as we could," Knight said. "And at the end of the day, we managed to save Daisy and help her deliver nine healthy puppies, who all survived, so we were really proud and happy about that."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
Woman Fosters Dog Hit by Car, She's Not Prepared for Rescue Cat's Response
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Hearts have well and truly been melted by the adorable friendship between a rescue cat and a three-legged foster dog who hit it off immediately. In January, Faith Poschwatta, 30, adopted Zora, a 2-year-old cat from Nashville's Humane Society. As soon as she laid eyes on the sweet feline, Poschwatta knew she "couldn't leave without her." But after saving one animal from shelter life, Poschwatta wasn't done there. While scrolling through Facebook in early July, she saw a post by Big Fluffy Dog Rescue asking for volunteers to foster some of their shelter dogs. They were expecting an influx of dogs to be brought in following the devastating Texas floods, and they needed to make space in the kennels to help as many as possible. Poschwatta, who resides in Nashville, Tennessee, told Newsweek that while she had never fostered a dog before, she "thought reaching out wouldn't hurt." Zora the cat and Ainsley the foster dog playing together on the floor. Zora the cat and Ainsley the foster dog playing together on the floor. @faithposh / TikTok "When I reached out and told them what kind of dog I would like to take in, they told me about a dog that they thought would be the perfect fit," Poschwatta said. "They sent over a few photos of her and shared a brief part of her story, and I fell in love with her." Indeed, Poschwatta went to collect her foster dog, Ainsley later that day. She's an Australian shepherd mix who was hit by a vehicle and "left to die." Fortunately, two teenagers found her and drove her to the rescue for help. "She was pregnant and successfully delivered her babies (all of which have been taken in by other families who joined the Big Fluffy Dog Rescue). Ainsley has been taken in by a lot of foster families since February. But ever since her accident, she's been hopping around on three legs," Poschwatta continued. She still has the fourth leg as she needs to complete heartworm treatment before having it amputated. However, the affected limb has calcified and doesn't cause Ainsley pain. From the moment Poschwatta brought Ainsley home, there was no denying how happy she was. She was jumping around, leaping on the sofa, and of course, acquainting herself with Zora. While Ainsley was more than happy to become besties straight away, Zora took a little convincing. She was initially cautious of the "new intruder," but after around an hour, she was comfortable. It seemed that Zora was curious but cautious of Ainsley for the first night. But by the next morning, Poschwatta caught the duo chasing each other and becoming inseparable. Poschwatta told Newsweek: "I really didn't know what to expect because I don't know much of Zora's history from before I rescued her (besides that she was in two shelters). Zora loves to play and is affectionate, and I could tell she needed a friend, but I was shocked to see Zora warm up to Ainsley that fast." It was so rewarding for Poschwatta to see the unlikely duo become close friends. She shared a video of their precious bond on TikTok (@faithposh) and the clip went viral with 71,400 views and 11,400 likes at the time of writing. Unfortunately, Ainsley's health took a turn and Poschwatta had to rush her back to the animal hospital. She was diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia, or fluid on the lungs, that was a complication of her heartworm treatment. She was placed on oxygen and given round-the-clock care. During that time, it was clear to Poschwatta that Zora was missing her friend. She was "calling out for her" in the night and searching the house throughout the day. Poschwatta was considering adopting Ainsley once she'd recovered, but as it turned out, she had already found a new owner as the vet tech at the hospital asked to take her in. As much as she'd love to give Ainsley her forever home, Poschwatta is delighted that she's in capable hands and will be taken care of. By posting the TikTok video of Zora and Ainsley, Poschwatta hopes to inspire others to foster or adopt an animal in need. It certainly hasn't been easy, but it's been ever so fulfilling. She also encourages people to donate to Big Fluffy Dog Rescue if they can, as Ainsley's medical bills have amounted to $4,000 already—with an amputation yet to come. "I understand that fostering may not be for everyone and it's scary to open your heart to something temporary. But taking care of Ainsley taught me so much about myself and I would encourage people to try it. Although it may not be forever, love is never wasted," Poschwatta said. Among the comments on her viral video, plenty of TikTok users praised the 30-year-old for bringing Zora and Ainsley together and saving their lives. One comment on the post reads: "Ok now they are a bonded pair." Another TikTok user wrote: "instant besties." While another person replied: "Wow it's like they always knew each other." Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Newsweek
4 hours ago
- Newsweek
Hunt Continues for Couple Missing After Plane Vanishes off Australian Coast
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The search continues for a plane carrying a senior couple and their dog that went missing after taking off from the Australian island state of Tasmania, police said Monday. The pilot of the plane, who is in his 70s, and his wife, who is her in 60s, were reported to be missing on Saturday. They left Tasmania's George Town Airport that afternoon and didn't arrive at their destination in central New South Wales, according to Tasmania Police. An extensive search for the plane resumed Monday across northern Tasmania, the Bass Strait and regional Victoria by the air and marine resources of Tasmania Police, Australian Maritime Safety Authority, and Victoria Police. An AMSA spokesperson told Newsweek on Monday: "AMSA has transferred coordination of the search operations to Tasmania Police." A spokesperson for Victoria Police referred Newsweek to Tasmania Police for comment. Newsweek has contacted Tasmania Police for comment via email. File photo: Tasmania Police Commander Marco Ghedini speaks at a press conference on Monday (left); a stock image of an aerial view over Tasmania from a plane (right). File photo: Tasmania Police Commander Marco Ghedini speaks at a press conference on Monday (left); a stock image of an aerial view over Tasmania from a plane (right). Tasmania Police / Getty "Five boats, including four police vessels and one from Tamar Marine Rescue were on the water, while an AMSA Challenger jet, Tasmania Police helicopter and two fixed wing aircraft conducted aerial searches," Tasmania Police said in a statement released Monday evening local time. At a press conference on Monday, Tasmania Police Commander Marco Ghedini said "no distress call" was made from the plane. He declined to specify the aircraft's exact make and model to avoid identifying the couple involved, according to Australia's ABC News service. The pilot and his wife, who are both from northern Tasmania, made no contact with authorities or family after the plane, a two-seat single-engine aircraft, left the airport around 12:45 p.m. local time. The plane was "headed for regional Victoria and then on to Central Western NSW," police said Sunday. Family members notified authorities on Saturday evening about the plane's failure to arrive at its intended destination, and search efforts have continued since. Tasmania Police Duty Inspector Nick Clark said the pilot was "very experienced" but was flying a "bright green" plane that was "relatively new to him." "The current owner and pilot of the plane had only purchased the plane three or four months ago," Clark told reporters on Sunday, according to Sky News Australia and other local media. "We remain optimistic at this stage and we are still hopeful for a very positive outcome," Ghedini told reporters on Monday. "As these events unfold, it becomes a concern when we haven't located an aircraft or persons or debris, but we do remain hopeful." The AMSA and Tasmania Police officers are urging anyone in George Town or transiting the waters in northern Tasmania and the Bass Strait to "keep a sharp lookout for any signs of a light aircraft or its occupants, and if safe to do so, render assistance." Those with any information are also advised to contact the AMSA Response Centre. It is National Missing Persons Week in the country, with there being 181 long-term missing persons reported in Tasmania dating back to the 1950s, according to Tasmania Police. Do you have a travel-related story to share? Let us know via life@ and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
Newsweek
6 hours ago
- Newsweek
Plane Passenger Asks Mom Flying With Son To Swap Seat—Her Reply Says It All
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. A Chicago woman has been praised after her refusal to swap airline seats mid-flight has gained viral attention. Angelique Dunklin, 54, from downtown Chicago, was flying with her 15-year-old son from O'Hare International Airport to London Heathrow, with a layover in Atlanta. It was during the first leg of the journey, from Illinois to Georgia, that the incident occurred. In a post that has since garnered more than 17,000 likes and thousands of responses on Threads, Dunklin shared the moment a fellow passenger asked her to switch seats so she could sit with her daughter. "The passenger was standing in our row and asked before I even started to get settled," she told Newsweek. "She immediately started with 'Hey could you switch seats with my daughter so we could sit together' ... I said 'no thank you' and she continued 'oh well she also has a middle sit a few rows back in the exit row... you could have more room.'" Dunklin said no to the switch, adding: "No, I paid for these seats to sit together for our trip and we need to make our connection." A picture of Angelique Dunklin, left, and a file photo of the inside of an airplane. A picture of Angelique Dunklin, left, and a file photo of the inside of an airplane. @ & Thomas Roell, Getty Images The woman then asked what time their connecting flight was, prompting Dunklin to shut the conversation down with another firm: "No ma'am we are together and not switching seats." Looking back, she reflected on the inappropriateness of the request: "In hindsight she was asking my 15-year-old son to go and sit in an exit row, which I don't even think is legally allowed. I said no in every way possible and my frustration came from her not taking no for an answer and the entitlement," she said. In a 2024 poll conducted by YouGov, 1,152 adults were asked about in-flight etiquette. Of these, 51 percent of people said it was acceptable to ask to switch seats, while 26 percent said it was not. "She had already had her mind made up that whomever was in her row would switch with her daughter and that didn't go as planned and I could tell and she kept trying to find different avenues to try and persuade one of us to switch," Dunklin said. Ultimately, the woman backed down, finally leaving and refusing to look or speak to them for the rest of the flight. Dunklin, who frequently shares her life online, said that posting about the encounter felt natural. "Threads has been a wonderful place of community and connection for me," she said. "For this trip to London, most of the things we are doing and seeing were all from input from my online community so for me.. it's normal to share parts of my life and journey online which I've been doing for over 10 years now. So this travel mishap was normal for me to share." In thousands of responses, people shared their reactions to the flight argument. "Someone did that to me last time. She wanted my window seat. I told her to move she wouldn't so I sat on her lap," said one commenter on Threads. While another wrote: "Her entitlement is insane." "Most of the reactions are kind and thoughtful and of course there are a few online trolls and negative nellies who say that this is a fabricated story or too long to get to the point but here's the thing... story and connection brings me joy," Dunklin said. "I am soon to be 55 and the online space is where I've found my people.. so I'll keep sharing regardless of what types of feedback or responses I get."
