The day was August 14th, 2010. Animal control in Waco had found a family of 3 dogs, one mom, and 2 boys roaming around, no tags, no owners. I know, I know, this is not the first time you have heard this, and unfortunately not the last. What makes this story different? The dogs involved. A special little family, that have shown myself and countless others that life is precious. That what we think is impossible, is only that if we admit defeat or give up. Gaia, mom of this family, is the greatest example of strength, survival, and love for her family that I have ever known. This is her story.

The weather was hot, extremely hot- Waco had been in it’s 15th day of consecutive 100+ degree days. Heat like this, humans normally stay indoors in AC or in a pool. This little family had been abandoned outside, in the elements, left to fend for themselves. 

From mom’s point of view blackness, silence, and the mixed smells of heated concrete, dry brush, and her pups. The feel of crackling dry grass under her paw pads, no breeze at all that day, just heat on her very pink little skin.  Everyone across Texas had been battling with the drought, water restrictions were everywhere. So there were no puddles by freshly watered lawns to give Gaia or her pups relief from the heat, thirst and dryness. I often wonder how she found food and water for herself and pups, how she kept them safe on her own; but she did. Hunting in blackness with her nose, foraging through the silence with her touch, she kept her two sons safe even without seeing and hearing them. 

When Animal control picked them up and placed her into the truck, she was only able to smell and feel the human that restrained her and placed her into a moving box. Blackness, silence, vibrating cold metal around her and her pups shivering next to her side. The smell of cleaners and hundreds of other canines that had been in that very box before her and her pups had to have made her extremely unsure about what would happen next. 

When the box stopped vibrating, a few thuds made the box shake and the human smell returns. The touch is again restraining around her and the ground disappears beneath her paws. A thin, tight, rough feeling line is on her neck, putting pressure if she moves too quickly; more human smells and cold concrete under her paws now.  She continuously keeps track of her sons, with quick nose taps, and body checks. 

The humans guide her into yet another cold, stone box that we know as a shelter run. As she tries to move with the humans there is a cold metal pressing her nose in random areas, some areas she can place her nose through, others not so much. She feels a cold metal bucket and finds water and food. She stands by her sons and keeps them warm, and calm. 

The next day, one of her sons is no longer in the cold stone box, human smells again. A few hours later, more human smells and she feels the restraint against her body again. The ground disappears and she is again in a vibrating box. This time the vibrating box, is different, a human is gently petting her, her one son is curled up sleeping next to her. It is cool, and soft this time. The vibrating lasted a few hours and then stops. 

A couple more thuds, and more human smells. She is picked up and placed on the ground where she smells the familiar smell of grass again. Her son is right next to her, and she feels more gentle strokes. She walks with this new human and keeps going back to nose tap her son, she stands next to him in a calming manner each time he stops moving. She takes a couple of steps forward and waits for him to do the same. 

As I watched her confidently walk with me, I had an instant feeling of admiration for this blind and deaf mama dog. Through the blackness and silence, she protected, loved and survived with her little family. She showed trust to a species that originally placed her and her pups in harms way, she forgave humans for leaving her and her sons unprotected, and unfed. She taught her sons how to stay calm, brave, how to trust, and more importantly how to survive. 

Since that day in 2010, I have witnessed Gaia and her sons do some amazing things. I have seen them climb on top of items without knowing where the ground was, and run through yards and houses at top speed not knowing what was in front of them! I have witnessed her trust in me with each bath, nail trim and ear cleaning.  She has taught me that the only thing that stops you from achieving something is yourself. That life is valuable, rewarding and yes painful at times; but it is filled with new adventures that are just waiting for the right living being to concur them!

Gaia, is the mother, protector and survivor that we as humans, should learn from; I have.