Sofia’s Puppy Love
Runt of the Litter
It’s Sunday morning, and Sofia is busy clearing the table, but her mind is occupied thinking about Penny. How was she supposed to wait until her next volunteer shift? Then, she has an idea. She asks her parents if they can stop at the shelter on their way to her soccer game. Glancing at each other, Sofia’s mother agrees. They won’t be able to stay long, but the shelter is on the way to the field.
They arrive at the shelter a half hour later. Mrs. Wallace greets them, but Sofia’s surprised to see Dr. Arroyo there on a Sunday. Mrs. Wallace says they’re just in time for a special surprise. Dr. Arroyo leads them past rows of cats and dogs in their crates to a quiet area at the end of the hall. Inside an empty room is Penny. She’s on a pile of soft towels, facing the wall. They can hear a soft squeaking sound. As Sofia comes closer, she can see the source of the squeaks: the puppies have arrived.
Sofia looks down at a row of hungry pups with pink noses and white, brown, and black fur. They’re taking turns latching onto their mother’s belly to nurse. Their eyes are closed, and they look so tiny that Sofia could hold each puppy in one hand!
Mrs. Wallace says they were born a few hours ago. Sofia, beaming, counts up five puppies. Dr. Arroyo points to the end. There is a sixth puppy, snuggled into Penny’s fur. Dr. Arroyo says they named the puppies Peaches, Poppy, Pickle, Peanut, Princess, and the runt is named Piper.
Because Piper is a runt, that means he’s the tiniest. Dr. Arroyo demonstrates how the runt of the litter is pushed out of the way by the bigger puppies. His size makes it hard for him to compete for food. They’ll have to ensure he gets enough to eat and stays close to his family for warmth. If he doesn’t gain enough weight fast enough, he’ll be vulnerable to infections and disease.
Sofia’s eyes widen. She didn’t realize runts don’t always survive. But Dr. Arroyo assures her that they’ll do everything they can for Piper. Sofia nervously smiles, and asks what she can do to help. Dr. Arroyo says they’ll keep their crate heated so if Piper is pushed away by his siblings, he won’t get too cold. And they’ll have to bottle-feed him for a few weeks.
Sofia volunteers to be in charge of feeding him. Dr. Arroyo says that’s very much appreciated. They’d love her help on Saturdays when she volunteers. But they’ll need to be feeding him every two to three hours. Sofia decisively says she’ll come to the shelter every day after school to help.
Sofia’s mother clears her throat. Sofia has soccer practice two afternoons a week, and she can’t forget about her homework. But maybe they can compromise. Sofia can come look after Piper for two days during the week, as long as her schoolwork isn’t impacted. Sofia is thrilled. She’s eager to give Piper what he needs most: love and attention.