Rainbow-Dyed Mama Dog Left in Scorching Sun Rescued Alongside Her Puppies
A mama dog with an unusual appearance is now safe after she was found tethered outside in extreme heat. In May, Arizona Humane Society (AHS)’s field team rescued a mama dog and her nine puppies who were left outside in high temperatures. But what immediately stood out about Rainbow Brite, a 5-year-old Pit Bull mix, was her colorful dyed fur made to look like rainbow leopard spots.
“She may have a playful appearance, but her rescue story is serious. This sweet pup was tethered on a short leash outside with her 9 pups in the scorching sun with no water,” AHS posted on Facebook. It was an extremely dangerous situation for the dogs and puppies.
When humane officers took a temperature reading of the concrete Rainbow Brite was standing on, it registered at 133.6 degrees Fahrenheit (56.4 Celsius). They gave Rainbow Brite’s owners a choice—surrender the dogs or the authorities would call police. The family agreed to surrender Rainbow Brite, admitting they no longer had the resources to care for her and her puppies.
When AHS officers placed Rainbow Brite in their cooled van, her internal body temperature was dangerously high at 105°F. (A dog’s normal body temperature ranges from 101° to 102.5°F. A temperature above 105°F is a serious and potentially life-threatening emergency.)
AHS noted, “Thankfully, the whole family is safe now, but her story is just one example of hundreds we will see this summer as the extreme heat impacts our community’s most vulnerable pets.”
They shared video and photos of Rainbow Brite and her nite “sprites” asking for a foster hero to help.
They later posted a follow-up video to clarify that the dogs were not abandoned.
Shortly after their plea, AHS found a foster. Rainbow Brite and her “sprites” went to Emily Klein’s home. Klein told Arizona News 12 that the mama dog was very skinny and scared when she first arrived, but that she now loves her cuddles.
Rainbow Brite’s spots will eventually fade and wash off. In the meantime, she and her pups are getting ready to be put up for adoption in a few weeks. To inquire about adopting Rainbow Brite or one of her puppies, visit the Arizona Humane Society website.