Now she’s more confident than ever ❤️
By Sarah Ashley
Published on Sep 12, 2025 at 5:06 PM
When Faith, an 18-month-old pittie mix, gave birth to an unexpected litter of puppies, her owners banished her to the backyard. Confined in a dirty crate, Faith knew only fear and loneliness until a concerned neighbor stepped in.
Through a network of rescues, Faith landed at Happy Paws Rescue. The organization knew Faith needed an experienced foster who could go the extra mile for this terrified girl.
Enter: Kaitlyn Marcinkowski.
“When [Happy Paws Rescue] asked if I could help, my answer was simple,” Marcinkowski told The Dodo. “‘Can I get her tonight?’”
From the get-go, Marcinkowski recognized Faith craved gentleness. Instead of making Faith walk from the car into her new foster home, Marcinkowski carried the terrified dog inside.
https://volume.thedodo.com/embed/6570d9b09?autoplay=true&loop=true&placement=article&player_type=chorus&tracking=article:lede&privacy_consent=allKaitlyn Marcinkowski
“Carrying her started as a way to help,” Marcinkowski said. “She was often too scared to walk, and we weren’t going to force her to.”
In the first few days at Marcinkowski’s house, Faith refused to leave her crate. It was the only environment she knew, and the familiarity must have been comforting.
“She trembled around people, and she wouldn’t even use the bathroom for two whole days,” Marcinkowski said. “It broke my heart to see such a sweet girl so scared of the world.”
Faith cowered when anything moved or made noise. Her tail hung between her legs as though she’d done something wrong, even though she hadn’t. Marcinkowski praised the sweet dog to remind her how brave she was.
“Our plan to earn her trust was simple — patience and positive reinforcement,” Marcinkowski said. “We gave her space, let her set the pace and watched her cues.”
Sure enough, Faith slowly warmed to Marcinkowski. After four days with her foster family, Faith jumped up on the bed to snuggle.
“Carrying helped her feel secure,” Marcinkowski said. “Now she hops on the bed, striking her best little pick-me-up pose.”
Faith demonstrated just how brave she’d become when, after playtime in the yard, she walked back inside for the first time on her own. Being outside wasn’t a punishment anymore; it was fun.
“One of her silliest habits [is] anytime we’re outside, she runs straight to the grass and rolls onto her back for belly rubs,” Marcinkowski said.
While Faith waits for her forever family, she continues to grow more confident every day. Marcinkowski joked on Instagram that anyone interested in adopting Faith should be able to “lift and carry 50 [pounds] of princess beefcake.”
After everything Faith has been through, she deserves nothing less.
If you are interested in adopting Faith, you can reach out to Happy Paws Haven.
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Woman Finds Tiny, Pink Baby In Yard — Then Holds Her Breath For A Miracle
“This story has the perfect ending” ❤️
By Ashley Ortiz
A few weeks ago, the folks at WEST Wildlife Rehab (WWR) received a concerning text from a woman who’d made a startling discovery. The Good Samaritan, Kim, reported finding a hairless, pink wild baby in her yard — one who was so tiny and defenseless his eyes hadn’t even opened yet.
The WWR staff responded immediately, hoping to help Kim reunite the baby with his mother on her own without any further intervention. Thankfully, Kim was one step ahead of them.
“She knew it needed to be back with its mama, so she put it in a bucket and attached the bucket to the tree where the nest was, then texted WEST,” WWR wrote on Facebook.
The avid rescuers were relieved to hear that Kim had already relocated the baby squirrel to a safe spot above ground and closer to his mother. Still, they were worried that the little guy may have spent too much time on the ground, causing his body temperature to drop.
“[E]ven on hot days, eyes closed babies can’t thermoregulate and will get cold, and mamas will not take cold babies back to the nest,” WWR wrote.
So, WWR advised Kim to heat a rice-filled sock in the microwave, then place it next to the baby to warm him up. Kim did just that, but when she went back outside, she was shocked to discover that the sock was no longer needed.
“[B]y the time she returned to the yard, mama had taken the baby back to the nest,” WWR wrote.
You can see more images from the squirrel’s rescue here:
Kim and the WWR staff were overjoyed to know that the mom had come back for her baby so quickly. While rescue organizations like WWR are eager to help animals like this tiny, pink squirrel, part of their mission is to encourage the public to facilitate these types of reunions on their own.
“There aren’t enough rehabbers to keep up with the demands of all the wildlife in need, so it’s really crucial that we try to reunite fallen babies with their mamas whenever possible,” WWR wrote. “If you find a baby on the ground that looks healthy and is uninjured, call your nearest rehabber and they’ll talk you through what to do to get that baby back to the nest, where it belongs!”
Luckily, this call for help resolved itself quickly, and the folks at WWR were able to focus their attention on other pressing cases. Not every wild animal rescue goes according to plan, but this baby squirrel’s story is a hopeful exception.
“This story has the perfect ending,” WWR wrote.
To help animals like this baby squirrel get the care they need, you can donate to WEST Wildlife Rehab here.
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