She Gave Birth in the Worst Place Imaginable—What Rescuers Did Next Will Break You
For months, a heavily pregnant stray—later named Dolly Parton—made her home in a Detroit train yard. When a Good Samaritan noticed her roaming the area, they contacted Rebel Dogs Detroit for help. The rescue team responded quickly, but Dolly was skittish and scared, expertly evading every attempt to bring her to safety. (Watch Video Above)
Despite daily visits and every food lure imaginable, Dolly remained out of reach—until the rescue team’s worst fear came true. She gave birth to 9 puppies deep inside a 30-foot cement stack, with only a narrow 2-foot crawl space. That’s when the mission turned urgent, and miraculously, the team succeeded in getting Dolly and all her babies to safety.
A Race Against Time to Save a Family
For days, the rescue team, accompanied by the finder, tried everything to catch Dolly, but she was too terrified to let anyone near. They offered steak, bacon, set traps, used slip leads and catchpoles—but this clever mama outsmarted them every time, eating the food without ever getting caught.
Then one day, they spotted her again—only this time, she had given birth. After a frantic search, they followed the sound of faint cries and discovered her puppies hidden in the perilous spot. It took hours to carefully pull the babies out, one by one.
To lure Dolly, the team placed two pups in a humane trap, and it worked. Now, thanks to their persistence, the entire little family is finally safe with the Detroit-based dog rescue.
Help Dolly and Her Puppies Heal
While Dolly and her puppies are no longer in immediate danger, they urgently need a foster home. Right now, they’re in a temporary outdoor setup that isn’t suitable for such a fragile little family. What they need is a warm, quiet place to rest, heal, and feel safe.
Dolly is a protective but sweet mama who’s slowly learning to trust and open up to humans. She’s not aggressive—just scared and doing her best. With patience and kindness, she can become a wonderful canine companion.
“Dolly gave birth in a cement pit beneath concrete blocks—because that’s the only safe place she could find. Her strength is incredible, but no animal should ever have to survive like that. Now it’s our turn to show her what love really looks like.” — Rocky Kanaka
If you can offer this brave family a safe space to begin their new chapter, please fill out a foster application at Rebel Dogs Detroit. They need a foster home for 5 weeks, and the rescue will provide all essential supplies along with 24/7 support.
