'Miracle puppies' survive adoption day rollover crash (36!)

The Santa Fe New Mexican ^ | December 15, 2008 | Ben Swan

[CedarDave]

Hanging upside down from her seat belt, Nina Chiotasso knew she had to act quickly. Her dog, Lill, had flown through the windshield after the van Chiotasso was driving hit a patch of ice on U.S. 285/84 [outside Santa Fe] Saturday morning. The van rolled, landing upside down on the guardrail ... of the busy road. In the back, were 36 puppies, fate unknown.

Chiotasso unlatched herself ... and crawled through the busted windshield, desperately hoping to stop Lill from wandering into traffic.

That's when the first of many miracles happened. The first person to come upon the accident was a veterinarian. She wanted to help Lill, but Chiotasso directed her to the back of the van. Chiotasso still doesn't know the veterinarian's name.

"I told her I could get Lill, but that there were 36 puppies in the back," Chiotasso said. "You could just see that look on her face — her eyes just opened wide, and she said, 'OK.' "

Chiotasso raced after her dog, calling her to sit and stay. The pit bull complied, sitting and waiting for her in the highway median. And then came the second miracle: None of the puppies were injured, and Lill had come through the accident unscathed.

Chiotasso, who handles community relations for the Española Valley Humane Society, had been up since 4 a.m. getting the puppies ready to take to the Watermelon Mountain Ranch Home for an adoption event in Albuquerque. The day before, Chiotasso had driven adult dogs and cats to the major event, which features more than 400 homeless animals from seven animal-rescue groups.

With all the animals accounted for, Chiotasso placed desperate calls to volunteers and board members. ... I had to get those puppies to Albuquerque. I knew it was their best chance to find homes."

[CedarDave]

Read the entire story. It's a real Christmas story for those that love pets, especially dogs. With the help of volunteers, including 4-H Club members, all the dogs were taken to Albuquerque (a distance of about 65-70 miles). Chiotasso remained in Albuquerque overnight to finish the adoption event Sunday and to witness the final miracle: All the puppies — as well as the other adult dogs and cats — found homes.

[Mr. Lucky]

Children are adopted. Dogs are purchased.

[NordP]

DOGS RULE

...and God Bless those that protect them!

[NordP]

Ah...give 'em a break. Mostly, I remember the names of the dogs in my neighborhood, not their parents.

I know...I know...dogs have OWNERS not parents. I GET IT.

sheeesh!

[Fawn]

CATS RULE---DOGS DROOL AND SMELL.

~~

I hope the dogs get 'ADOPTED' with great 'GUARDIANS'.

[CedarDave]

Los Lobos 4-H Club members hold some of the ‘miracle’ puppies while traveling to the adoption event.

Volunteer Candace Christensen stands with driver Nina Chiotasso’s dog, Lill, after a van carrying the pit bull and 36 puppies from the Española humane society flipped Saturday on U.S. 285/84.

Christopher Dominguez, with the Los Lobos 4-H Club of Rio Arriba County, carries a kennel with puppies from an accident site Saturday after a van headed to an Albuquerque adoption event flipped on an icy patch of U.S. 285/84 near the Tano Road exit.

[NordP]

So sad Mr. Lucky only feels the need to correct, instead of embracing the content of the heartwarming story you've posted.

--Really missing some of the loveliness of life and miracles of love.

[CedarDave]

PING to the NM list.

[NordP]

Ever smelled the room a litter box is in?

...My Mom is right....but what she MEANT to say was DACHSHUNDS RULE!

[Kimmers]

I love these heartwarming/happy ending stories.....thank you for the post

[CedarDave]

Thanks for the reply. This thread beats the one I was going to post about more “alleged” corruption of the Richardson administration.

[Kimmers]

Giggle....I am so glad you opted for puppy post.....it is a nice break from politics.......

[CedarDave]

Would someone be kind enough to PING the keeper of the doggie ping list?

[Fawn]

Ever smelled the room a litter box is in?

No..and I have 3 litterboxes. It's very easy to scoop with great odor catching litter today. Ever smell a house a dog lives in? EWW! I can tell right away when someone owns a dog as soon as I walk in the door.....you can also tell by their lawn.

[ottbmare]

No one is purchasing these dogs; they’re not purebreds from a fine kennel. They’re being taken home and given love. The process of acquiring them falls within the definitions of an adoption. The word does not just apply to humans or even to family situations; you can adopt a belief, a principle, a name, a lifestyle, and all of these are perfectly valid usages in English.

[LongElegantLegs]

It’s pointless, Nord.
Fawn can’t even read a story like this without making a snide comment, you’re not going to get a reasonable reply.

[Joe 6-pack]

Border Terrier

WOOOF!

The Doggie Ping list is for FReepers who would like to be notified of threads relating to all things canid. If you would like to join the Doggie Ping Pack (or be unleashed from it), FReemail me.

Other articles with keyword “DOGGIEPING” since 12/29/04

[Frantzie]

I love dogs. I do not like people who breed “36 puppies” especially if they are pit bulls.

[CedarDave]

They were humane society dogs, for gosh sakes. Her own dog is a pit bull, most likely also a rescue dog. BTW, mine is also a rescue dog who was in the neighborhood and the locals were feeding but no one claimed. A wonderful small mixed breed terrier who, like his owner, can do without cats.

[TalonDJ]

36 Pitbull puppies? Near Albuquerque? hmm....