When a husky named Miss Honey and her puppy arrived as strays at the Kentucky Humane Society, it was clear to shelter staff how devoted they were to each other. Miss Honey had given every ounce of herself to her puppy, nursing her at the expense of her own health.
Stepping on the scale, Miss Honey weighed only 33 pounds when she should have been double that.
“Miss Honey’s maternal instincts led her to prioritize her 2-month-old baby, Matilda,” Jennifer Harris, public relations coordinator for the Kentucky Humane Society, told The Dodo. “As a nursing mama, Miss Honey gave everything she had to her innocent pup, leaving her own body lethargic, malnourished and in desperate need of TLC.”
Though Miss Honey had done her best to care for her puppy while living on the streets, Matilda was suffering from a severe injury to her hind leg, which left her unable to bear weight or feel sensation in that leg.
Shelter staff was reminded of just how committed Miss Honey was to her daughter when they attempted to treat Matilda’s wound.
“While our veterinary team was cleaning and wrapping Matilda’s leg wounds, we heard the gut-wrenching screams of Miss Honey from down the hall,” Harris said. “We rushed to comfort her, realizing the two had likely never been apart. Once Matilda’s injured leg was wrapped up and safe from the elements, we reunited her with her mama.”
Shelter staff knew from that moment on that the two had to stay together — no matter what. “It seems likely that Miss Honey and Matilda have never been apart and that Miss Honey has been nursing Matilda since birth,” Harris said.
Miss Honey and her pup were transferred to a foster home where they could decompress and spend time with a family. And, slowly, the two are learning to trust.
“Now that Miss Honey and Matilda know that we humans are here to help them, they’ve become more comfortable spending short amounts of time apart. But most often, you’ll find them together,” Harris said. “Matilda loves to curl up under her mama’s chin for a nap, and Miss Honey seeks snuggles as a way to decompress. Their connection is heartwarming to say the least!”
After a week of healing, it became clear that Matilda’s injured leg couldn’t be saved. And before the operation, Miss Honey made sure her baby was in good hands. Afterwards, the devoted mom cuddled her pup as she woke up from anesthesia.
Now, under the care of their foster mom, Miss Honey is gaining weight and Matilda is learning to navigate the world on three legs. And, perhaps most importantly, both are learning to live with humans full-time.
“When it comes to humans, Matilda is more confident than Miss Honey, but she’s coming around now that she knows we’re here to help her,” Harris said. “Miss Honey now craves human snuggles almost as much as she craves cuddles from her baby, and we’re glad to know she can find comfort in the presence of humans now.”
