Just after Christmas 2024, a young American Pit Bull Terrier named Mary Lou became a mom. She gave birth to eight tiny puppies at a local animal control facility, and soon after, she and her brand-new family arrived at the Connecticut Humane Society, ready for a fresh start.

Mary Lou had done a great job bringing eight little lives into the world—and now it was time for CHS to take it from there. With round-the-clock care and lots of love, Mary Lou and her pups headed to a foster home where they could grow up surrounded by kindness, safety, and plenty of snuggles.

Mary Lou’s foster families helped with late-night feedings, puppies’ first steps, first tail wags, and so many zoomies. These amazing volunteers made sure the pups learned what it meant to be loved (special shoutout to foster moms for mother’s day!). And CHS behavior specialists guided the way, giving Mary Lou’s pups the tools they’d need to grow into happy, confident dogs.

As the weeks went by, the puppies got their vaccinations, were spayed or neutered, and one by one, found homes with adoptive families. Mama Mary Lou was spayed, too. While she was a wonderful mom, spaying and neutering helps prevent litters of more pets with nowhere to turn to, and it helps keep pets healthier in the long run.

Mary Lou had a few extra needs of her own, including care for some skin allergies and dental work, but with expert care at CHS, she’s now feeling her very best. And today, she’s living the good life in her very own home with people who adore her—not as a mama dog, but as the sweet, playful pet she’s always been.

On Mother’s Day, the CHS community is celebrating all the moms who make love grow—including pet moms, foster moms, and mother figures of all kinds.

Happy Mother’s Day!