Dog News

Mutt Becomes Abandoned Baby’s Surrogate Mother and Saves His Life

by Katherine

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On July 12, 2013, a 1-month old baby was abandoned in a yard where Puti, a mixed breed dog that had recently given birth to puppies, was sleeping. The canine mother nested the baby along her puppies protecting them all from the cold temperatures and keeping the baby alive.

Photo Credit: Facebook/ FM Radio Tres
Puti, the hero dog.
Photo Credit: Facebook/ FM Radio Tres

The abandonment happened in Virrey del Pino, Argentina, and on the night the baby was discarded temperatures reached below zero degrees.

Puti’s owners heard baby cries early the following morning and went outside to make the discovery. Immediately they called police and authorities took baby Santino – name given to the baby by his rescuers – to nearby hospital Equiza de González Catán.

According to FMRadioTres, 33-year-old Paula, ex-resident of Virrey del Pino, had come back for a visit and brought with her a baby. She asked a local woman to look after her child while she visited other residents, but the woman refused to because Santino was too young. The woman also felt Paula’s surprise visit with the infant was suspicious.

Authorities investigated and concluded Paula left Virrey del Pino with the baby that same day but returned during late hours of the night to abandoned Santino. Paula was detained two days after Santino’s abandonment.

Doctors examined Santino and concluded that he was in excellent health, but if it wasn’t for Puti and her motherly instincts, Santino would have died from frostbite on the night he was left behind.