Tears as Woman Rescues 'Emaciated' Pregnant Dog Found Roaming the Streets

For a former stray discovered wandering the streets in the rain, a happy home might have seemed like an impossibility. But now she's found the perfect foster owner, who was right by her side when she delivered her puppies.

After hearing about a heavily pregnant dog that had been discovered alone on the streets of Tijuana, Mexico, Katie Balla, 39, didn't hesitate to offer to help. Balla, who is from San Diego, California, was horrified by the poor dog's condition and told Newsweek she was "extremely emaciated" and in desperate need of support.

Over the past few years, Balla has fostered almost 50 dogs but never a heavily pregnant pup, so this was a new experience for her. But thankfully the dog, named Susannah, instantly warmed to her new foster owner and was more than happy to have her next to her when she gave birth to seven puppies on March 17.

"I was happy to foster her, and I've been easing into fostering a pregnant mama dog," Balla said. "My last foster I took in when she had just had a puppy three days before when she came to my house, but I'd never had a mama give birth at my house until now."

She went on: "I was there the entire time she gave birth, which was such a cool experience. She didn't need much help, she was such a pro. But I was able to be right there throughout the whole thing and make sure she stayed hydrated and comfortable."

Susannah and all of her babies are doing great, and they too will be looking for a forever home when they're ready. In a few weeks, the Animal Pad in San Diego will be hosting meet and greets for potential adopters, which will hopefully lead to many happy new homes.

Although Susannah has never had a home of her own before, Balla has been delighted by her temperament and how easily she's settled in.

"Susannah is such a good dog, even though she's not entered full dog mode yet because she's so focused on being a mama, which is normal," she said. "She doesn't mind other dogs but doesn't interact with them much. She'd do well in any home that wants to spoil a dog who deserves it."

Balla has been keeping her social media followers (@fosterpup_tales) up to date with posts about Susannah since taking her in, with one video even gaining more than 182,000 views and 10,100 likes. Alongside the heartwarming post on TikTok, she explained that one day Susannah was "just a pregnant dog on the streets," but has found the perfect "foster family who won't stop doting" on her. She certainly looks like she's enjoying all the belly rubs she's receiving.

The social media response has been delightful for Balla to see, as people have been extremely generous and want to show their support for Susannah. "It humbles me every time, but they just really like to be a part of the dog's journey," she said.

When Susannah is ready, she will undoubtedly find her forever family and have to leave Balla's home. But when that happens, it opens the door for the next dog to find love and safety in her house.

Many social media users were quick to praise Balla for supporting the dog in her time of need, and the viral video already has over 70 comments. One person wrote: "Thank you for being so amazing to her."

Another TikToker responded: "Thank you for showing her love and a safe place to have her babies. She is one of the lucky ones. God bless."

Another comment reads: "She looks sooo sweet how could she be homeless."

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