6 days ago
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An Arizona animal shelter received a bizarre and heartbreaking call — someone had spotted what looked like a leopard tethered outside with a litter of puppies. When the Arizona Humane Society arrived on the scene, they realized the “leopard” was actually a 5-year-old pit bull terrier, covered in painted spots and struggling to care for her nine puppies in the blistering heat.
Source: YouTubeThe temperature in Phoenix had soared to 99 degrees, but the concrete where the animals were tied measured a scorching 133 degrees. The mother dog, later named Rainbow Brite, was dehydrated, underweight, and overwhelmed. Her puppies were suffering alongside her. Thankfully, the dog’s owner agreed to surrender the entire family to the Arizona Humane Society.
Once in their care, Rainbow Brite was rushed to the Lazin Animal Foundation Trauma Hospital, where her body temperature was dangerously high—105.7 degrees. Veterinarians used cool towels to reduce her fever and began the long road of stabilizing her and her puppies.
Source: YouTubeDespite her painted appearance and her fragile state, Rainbow Brite showed nothing but resilience and grace. She was transferred with her nine pups—affectionately dubbed her “sprites”—to the shelter’s “Mutternity Suites,” a calming space dedicated to pregnant and nursing dogs. While her multicolored coat was a mystery, it quickly made her a minor celebrity online, with a TikTok video about her gaining over 75,000 views.
In the clip, a shelter representative introduces Rainbow Brite by joking, “I heard we have a leopard in our mutternity suites.” The video shows the gentle dog nursing her litter and enjoying some well-earned treats, looking far more like a survivor than a spectacle.
Source: YouTubeVeterinarians noted that Rainbow Brite was dangerously underweight, a concerning condition for a nursing dog who needs critical calories to sustain both herself and her pups. Fortunately, now in foster care, the family is safe, fed, and slowly recovering. When they’re ready, the dogs will be spayed, neutered, vaccinated, and placed for adoption.
The Arizona Humane Society used this moment to issue an important reminder: in several Arizona cities, it is illegal to tether dogs outside, especially in extreme weather conditions. They stressed that Rainbow Brite’s case isn’t isolated—countless pets face this kind of neglect every summer.
Source: YouTube“We are happy that her owner agreed to surrender her,” the shelter said in a statement. “Rainbow Brite and her nine sprites now have a second chance at life.”
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This content was created with AI assistance and edited by the iHeartDogs team.
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