Christmas in foster home for abandoned mum and her newborn puppies
An abandoned dog and her five newborn puppies, who were found hidden in a tree, are spending Christmas getting ready for their new homes.
Shiba Inu Fern was seen straying by residents in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, for several weeks before they managed to catch her in the early hours of November 20. She was hiding and sheltering five newborn puppies in a hole in the tree.
The family were taken to Woodgreen Pets Charity, where they received the care and support they needed, including supporting Fern with nursing and weaning the pups. Staff at the charity named the puppies – thought to be around three weeks old at the time of their rescue – Ash, Chestnut, Acorn, Blossom and Maple.
All six are now being cared for by fosterer Ciara Pollen, who’s a behaviour and training specialist at the charity. Ciara is preparing both Fern and the puppies for life in their new homes when the time comes.
She said: “Fern and the puppies are doing really well. Fern came to us very underweight after raising five hungry pups outdoors, so we focused straightaway on building her back up with a really nutritious diet. She’s now at a healthy weight and even starting to politely decline the odd extra mouthful, which says a lot about how far she’s come.
“The puppies have adapted quickly to home life. They’ve met children, cats, friendly vaccinated dogs, and experienced the usual household sights and sounds. They’re finding their feet beautifully. Given their outdoor start, it’s been lovely to see how resilient and curious they are now that they’re safe and cared for.
“Their first foster carer, Laura, did a fantastic job getting them settled and giving them a stable routine. Now that the puppies are older and more mobile, and Fern is ready for the next step, they’ve moved to a foster home with another confident dog. For Fern, living with a well-adjusted dog can be a big boost. Nervous dogs often learn more readily from another dog than from people, especially everyday skills like walking on a lead, settling in the home, and interacting with people.
“For the puppies, this stage is all about positive early experiences. Their socialisation window from roughly 4 to 14 weeks is crucial, so we’re giving them lots of gentle introductions to normal life: dishwashers and washing machines and cooking, nail trims and baths, car journeys, visitors, short separations from mum, and meeting other animals. I’ll also be teaching them some early basics like housetraining, confidence around new things, and simple cues. All of this helps them become well-rounded dogs who are ready for family life.”
Although Fern was microchipped, it wasn’t registered to an address so her background is a mystery. The charity is urging struggling dog owners to seek support for their pets as early as possible.
Ciara said: “We always encourage anyone struggling with their pet to reach out to us. We can help with behaviour support, financial assistance, training guidance, outreach visits, or, if needed, supported rehoming. No one should feel they have to cope alone.”