NC Rescue Gives Rural Shelters Lifesaving Puppy Incubators

Newborn puppies found abandoned in a box, umbilical cords still attached, now have a better chance at survival thanks to one rescue's mission to help shelters statewide.

Blazin' Trails Bottle Babies in the Triangle area of North Carolina is one of only a handful of rescues in the country that specializes in caring for orphaned newborn puppies. Last year alone, founder Shana Sommer and her team took in 189 tiny puppies from across the state.

The rescue recently received a grant through Animal Aid Alliance NC to purchase 10 incubator kits for rural North Carolina shelters. For newborn puppies, staying warm isn't just about comfort. It's the difference between life and death.

"They won't eat if they're cold," explained Officer Christy Cash at Vance County Animal Shelter, the first to receive a kit. "If we find them out on the road or if they're left at the door, the first thing we can do before we even think about feeding them is getting them in the incubator."

Inside the rescue's nursery, volunteer Kira Kroboth feeds 8-day-old Cricket every two hours around the clock. Cricket and her siblings were found in a box when they were just one day old, barely clinging to life. Despite constant care, Cricket's brother Checker didn't make it, but the incubator kits aim to prevent more heartbreaking losses.

When CBS 17 visited the rescue, two more emaciated newborns named Elizabeth and Everett had just arrived after their mother passed away. Thanks to emergency care and proper warming equipment, both puppies rallied and started eagerly taking their bottles.

Animal Services Director William Coker at Vance County is grateful for the new equipment. "It means a lot to me and to the staff because we do try to save every one of them," he said. Both he and Officer Cash confirmed the incubator kits will save lives.

The Ripple Effect

Sommer's approach recognizes a simple truth: no single rescue can save every puppy alone. By equipping rural shelters with proper tools and building community partnerships, more vulnerable animals get the care they desperately need. The nine remaining incubator kits will reach shelters across North Carolina, multiplying the impact far beyond what one rescue could accomplish.

Each rescued puppy requires weeks of round-the-clock feeding and care before their eyes even open. The exhausting work comes with worry and very little sleep, but Sommer finds joy in the milestones: when their eyes open, when they first wag their tails, and when they find their forever families.

"We can as a community save more puppies together," Sommer said, and that collaborative spirit is already making a difference across the state.