“Momma Mia” at the Vicksburg Animal Shelter needs your love

At the City of Vicksburg Animal Shelter, all the way at the end of the row, in a cage by herself, you will find a little black dog named “Momma Mia.” Mia peers up through the gate of her enclosure with sad brown eyes and large pointy ears that flatten to the back of her head. She gazes up timidly, looking as though she is waiting for the day to be given a second chance at life.

Mia patiently waits for a better tomorrow

Momma Mia wasn’t always alone in the shelter. She once had a bumbling litter of fat, happy puppies. She and her pups arrived several weeks ago when her litter was still too young to eat solid food. The puppies were friendly and playful, toddling around their mother with wagging tails and yapping mouths.

Momma Mia loved showing off her sweet babies

Each week, the pups seemed to grow more curious about the world around them, while Momma Mia seemed to grow a little more hopeless in the unstimulating circumstances of shelter life. A shelter, after all, is no place to raise a family.

One of Mia’s pups, enjoying a new friend

This week, Mia was alone. After being asked if her puppies had been moved to a different cage, one of the assisting workers dismally responded, “They all died.” Sadly, Mia’s five beautiful, multicolored, fluffy puppies perished due to a decline in her health from being in the shelter for so long.

Shelter director Kacie Lindsey said, “(The) Mom was in bad shape, and the puppies just didn’t make it because of that. Puppies that size just don’t do well in a shelter environment.” Unfortunately, many dogs come into the shelter in poor conditions and struggle to overcome their ailments over weeks of waiting to be adopted into a loving home. For Mia, the challenge of nursing five babies in limited space while under the stressful conditions of being housed in a room full of barking and scared dogs ended up being too much for her and her children to thrive.

Fortunately for this listless momma, there is still hope for a better life free from loneliness and loss. She has a very sweet disposition. She’s quiet and calm, friendly to small children, and walks very well on a leash. Take her for a walk, and you’ll see excitement perk up on her face as she sniffs the fresh air and roots in the grass.

Mia’s whole day is made with a simple walk outdoors

Mia is a medium to small-sized dog on the smaller end of the spectrum and could make a lovely companion for someone special. She is predominantly black and has brindle markings. When she is her happy self, her beautiful face is framed by her giant, bat-like ears.

With proper TLC, her bright spirit and warm nature could be restored, and Mia could have the chance to heal from all the hardships she’d faced in her short life. A loving family and a soft home could make all the difference in giving her a fresh start. If any dog deserves the opportunity for a new beginning, it’s this loving and bereaved mom.

To adopt Momma Mia, contact Lindsey at (601)636-6982 or visit the shelter during operating hours, 7:30- 3:30, Monday through Friday. Adoption fees include shots, vaccinations, and a spay/neuter.