Man Rescues Stray Dog During Hurricane—Realizes She Was Hiding a Surprise
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A man who showed kindness to a stray dog struggling to survive after a hurricane was rewarded with a litter of puppies, after she gave birth in safety after he took her in.
Joe Tulgan, 33, originally from Massachusetts, now lives in Greenacres, Florida, with his wife, Marissa, and 13-year-old stepdaughter, Abby.
In 2022, Hurricane Ian devastated the west coast of Florida, along with the Carolinas and Cuba, at a category 4 intensity. It caused over $112 billion worth of damage, with millions losing power and 156 people dying in the United States alone, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Among the horror of the storm, there were stories of heroes risking their lives to save others—both humans and animals.
Tulgan was among those helping out in the area; he, along with friends Travis and Todd, were cleaning up debris and rubble when they were approached by a stray dog, who was "wagging her tail and searching for food amid the rubble."
The men fed her, and while she left, she returned to them later that night, and remained close to them during their entire stay at the Airbnb. Tulgan "fell in love with her."
"It was evident she didn't have a home; she was dirty and skinny," Tulgan said. He told his wife and stepdaughter about the dog—only for him to get the call he had hoped for. His family wanted him to keep her.
Joe Tulgan's rescued stray dog, Gypsy, left, rests at home with her puppies, right.
Joe Tulgan's rescued stray dog, Gypsy, left, rests at home with her puppies, right.
Joe Tulgan / Reddit u/BloodyMurderBloody
The plan was to feed her up, take her to the vet and get her checked for a microchip, and as weeks went by, she began to fatten up. But Tulgan quickly noticed that she was "getting even bigger."
"I instinctively knew she was pregnant, even though Travis and Todd insisted I was overfeeding her. The vet later confirmed my suspicion," Tulgan said.
And on December 12, the rescued dog—whom they named Gypsy—gave birth to six puppies, safely indoors.
At the time, Tulgan and his friends were still traveling around Florida in different Airbnbs, and as the puppies grew, they and Gypsy "traveled with me everywhere," he said.
"I loved having them around, although they were a lot of work," Tulgan added. I constantly had to clean up after them once they were old enough to run around, and they were pretty loud, making it difficult to sleep. Nevertheless, I wouldn't have traded the experience for anything."
Eventually, once the puppies were old enough, it was time to find them new homes—and four of the siblings went to Tulgan's friends and family.
"I am the designated dog sitter, and the puppies love to see their mother," Tulgan said. "She enjoys playing with her children!"
Joe Tulgan's rescued stray dog, Gypsy, left, rests at home with her puppies, right.
Joe Tulgan's rescued stray dog, Gypsy, left, rests at home with her puppies, right.
Joe Tulgan / Reddit u/BloodyMurderBloody
Tulgan shared Gypsy's story to Reddit's r/mademesmile sub via his account u/BloodyMurderBloody on July 6. He shared photos of Gypsy and her six adorable puppies, and wrote: "I rescued a stray dog after a hurricane. Turns out she was pregnant! Here's her puppies!"
Reddit users had a big reaction, awarding the post more than 8,400 upvotes, as one wrote: "Bless you for rescuing her! What precious pups." Another described them as a "six pack of love."
"She held on through the storm so her babies could have sunshine," one commenter said, and yet another thanked Tulgan for being a "kind and compassionate soul."
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
37 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Mom Drops Son at Daycare, Hours Later Gets Email That Has Her 'Scared'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. When a mom received an email from her son's daycare informing her about something that had happened that day, she initially feared the worst. "When I got the email I got a little scared," Lizeth Alvarado from Escondido, California, told Newsweek. Childcare in the U.S. is almost prohibitively expensive. Figures published by the Department of Labor show families spend between 8.9 percent and 16.0 percent of their median income on full-day care for just one child, with annual prices ranging from $6,552 to $15,600. Given that kind of outlay, it's important for parents to feel happy that their child is being well looked after while they are at work. That's something Alvarado undoubtedly feels when it comes to the care her 2-year-old son Isaiah receives. "Isaiah has Down syndrome and we are thankful for his daycare staff for being open, understanding and loving him very much," Alvarado said. "He truly enjoys going and as his parents we truly appreciate all the staff there for making it a fun and safe environment." Isaiah, aged 2, looked decidedly different when he got back from daycare. Isaiah, aged 2, looked decidedly different when he got back from daycare. TikTok/losalvarados21 That didn't stop her heart from skipping a beat when she received an email alerting her to something that had happened that day. "I honestly thought it was an injury report and did scare me a bit, but I knew they would call me if it was something serious," Alvarado said. "But when I read it and saw the picture attached it made me crack up." As the series of pictures Alvarado included in a video posted to her TikTok, @losalvarados21, show Isaiah had been enjoying himself that day. "My son was at day care and the children were provided easels and paint," Alvarado explained. "Well, my son decided to have a grand old time on the blue paint." Seeing the picture of Isaiah covered in blue paint had his mom in stitches. "I thought it was the funniest thing and had to share it with everyone," Alvarado said. "I thought it was just too funny not to share. I also saw the reaction of my family and how it made them laugh." The video went viral, amassing close to 10 million views already. Though he was left decidedly blue in the clip, Alvarado is pleased to report that, after much cleaning, all of the paint came off. "The girls at daycare wiped him down with baby wipes and when he got home he soaked in a bath and everything came off," she said. "Luckily water based paints were used." Isaiah is due to turn 3 later this month. His mom might want to think twice before getting him any paints for his birthday.
Newsweek
14 hours ago
- Newsweek
What To Do if Your Child Gets Hit by Another, According to Parenting Expert
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. When your child is hit by another, it can feel like time slows down. Do you go to your child first? Say something to the other kid? Look for the parent? Certified parenting coach Anuradha Gupta told Newsweek that it is one of those "awkward, hard-to-navigate moments"—and one that she has experienced herself. In a carousel post on Instagram, 34-year-old Gupta (@mommyandmishti) laid out a clear, four-step response for parents. Her first rule: go to your child. Gupta told Newsweek about a moment when her daughter was hit by another toddler at the park while the other child's parent wasn't looking. "I felt an adrenaline rush, but I knew I had to stay grounded," Gupta said. "I stepped in right away, gently moved my daughter away, and focused on her first. "I got down to her eye level and said, 'That wasn't OK. I saw that. I'm right here.' She was stunned, and my job was to make her feel safe." That leads to step two: hold the boundary—even if the other child isn't yours. "I turned to the other child, kindly but clearly, and said, 'We don't hit. Hitting hurts. If you want to play with her, you can say something, like, can I play?' I wasn't trying to scold him, just offer guidance. Had his parent seen it, I'm sure she would've stepped in." Still, many parents feel uncomfortable speaking up. Gupta suggested redirecting attention to your own child or using inclusive, non-blaming language such as, "Let's use gentle hands." "Looks like both of you wanted that toy—let's take turns." "Come here, love. I saw that. I'm right here." Step three is to give your child the words. Gupta said that most toddlers don't know what to say when something like this happens. "Sometimes, I'll also gently say to the parent, 'Just letting you know, he hit her a moment ago. She's OK, but I stepped in so she felt supported.' Most parents really appreciate it when it's said with compassion, not criticism," Gupta said. A mother, spending time with her kids outdoors in a park, holds her child as she talks. A mother, spending time with her kids outdoors in a park, holds her child as she talks. Victor Canales As the old saying goes, practice makes perfect. When your toddler is calm and you are in a safe environment, such as the home, Gupta said you should try the fourth step: role-play. "These everyday situations are actually big teaching opportunities," she added. "When my daughter got hit, of course I comforted her first. But I also wanted to give her something she could carry into the next moment, something to do if it ever happened again. "So, I said things like, 'You can say stop' or 'No.' You can hold your hand out. You can walk away and tell a grown-up." These steps aren't just about stopping one hit; they are lifelong lessons. "Learning how to speak up, hold a boundary [and] stay calm," Gupta said. "These are skills that will support her not just in toddlerhood, but in friendships, school, adult relationships and beyond."
Newsweek
21 hours ago
- Newsweek
Couple Go to Animal Shelter, Take a Chance on 'Oldest, Goodest' Dog There
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. After an unexpected loss of the couple's canine, Alanna and Keith decided to open their hearts to a senior dog whose eyes immediately pulled at their heartstrings. Alanna and her husband, Keith, received heartbreaking news of their 9-year-old St. Bernard passing away while on vacation in February. For months, they grieved their fur baby, unsure whether they could welcome home another dog, she told Newsweek via email. That is, until the couple came across a photo of Mulligan, a 10-year-old golden retriever at the Edmonton Humane Society in Canada. They slept on the decision, but his listing disappeared the next day. Days later, they saw his post returned, and they found out his initial adoption had fallen through. But again, they waited, and the process restarted. "A week passed, and something told us to check again," Alanna said. "There he was, waiting. We discussed that he was old, but decided it didn't matter. He deserved a safe and loving home, and we knew we could give it to him." Without taking any chances of him being gone again, they arrived at the shelter 30 minutes before it opened. They learned his previous owners, an elderly couple, surrendered him due to no longer being able to care for him. Then, he was returned by an adopter for being "too stinky." He lived at the animal shelter for three weeks. The stress of the shelter environment caused him to become anxious, and he received medication. He weighed about 30 pounds overweight and walked with a limp, yet the couple didn't mind. They were head over heels for this "oldest, goodest" dog. "From the moment we saw him in person, we knew we had to take him home," she said. Screenshots from a July 12 Instagram video of a couple adopting a 10-year-old golden retriever who was the "oldest" at the shelter. Screenshots from a July 12 Instagram video of a couple adopting a 10-year-old golden retriever who was the "oldest" at the shelter. @thegoldensaint/Instagram The couple shared Mulligan's adoption story on the Instagram account @thegoldensaint on July 12. Mulligan showed nothing but smiles when he met the couple. His tail wagged, knowing his happy ending had finally arrived. Alanna said during his first two days home, he barely left his bed, the couch or the living room rug. Then, his "spirit began to brighten," as he started exploring the house, watching birds through the window and adding pep to his step while outside. His upcoming vet appointment will help the couple develop a safe exercise plan to help get his weight under control. In the meantime, they're transitioning him to healthy food. The appointment could also include a hydrotherapy session to ease his joints, she said. "He's brought light back into our home and healing to our we're determined to help him live out his golden years in comfort and joy," she said. "And no matter how much time he has left, we'll make every moment count." Viewer Reactions The heartwarming adoption reached over 322,000 views and 30,859 likes on Instagram within three days of posting. "Thank you so much for giving this sweet boy a second chance at a wonderful life," commented an Instagram user. A second person wrote: "What a precious boy. So glad he found his forever home with you!" Another added: "You can definitely tell he's a good boy!! Aweeee, happy he found a home with you guys." Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
