In rescue, we never know what the day will hold… and sometimes, it brings us something completely unexpected.
We were contacted by an individual who had acquired an adult female Cavalier. After about a month in their care, they became concerned about her continued rapid weight gain and brought her to the veterinarian—where they learned that she is pregnant… very pregnant.
Radiographs revealed 4 (possibly 5) puppies, and because puppies are not fully visible on x-ray until around day 50-55 of pregnancy, this means Elle is very close to delivery as the average gestational period is about 63 days.
Inexperienced and unprepared to care for a pregnant mom and newborn pups, the owner made the decision to surrender Elle into rescue. She is now settling into her foster home in Ider, Alabama with our experienced whelper.
Unfortunately, we know very little about Elle or her past. We don’t know where she came from, and we don’t know if she was bred with another Cavalier, and we are also navigating some concerns, as Elle did not receive proper prenatal care and was recently given dangerous vaccinations and medications that can be harmful during pregnancy.
For now, we are focused on Elle and ensuring she feels safe, loved, and comfortable in her new home, and gearing up and preparing for the pups’ arrival. We will be sure to keep you posted on how Elle is doing 💜
(It is not appropriate to discuss adoption of Elle or her unborn puppies at this time and will not be for quite some time, so please refrain from contacting us with your interest.)

UPDATE MARCH 29, 2026: This morning at 6am, Elle let us know that today was the day—with a bark to announce it.Around 11am, she welcomed her first puppy… a little girl who was sadly stillborn. We named her Palmer, in honor of Palm Sunday—our tiny angel baby.There were tears and heartbreak in that moment. But Palmer only ever knew love. She knew warmth, safety, comfort, and the gentle presence of her mama and siblings… and there are worse things than that. And perhaps nothing better. 🤍 Elle took her time after that, just as she needed.At 3pm, she delivered a beautiful 7.7 oz blenheim baby boy with the most perfect little thumbprint on his head. At 6pm, another precious blenheim baby boy arrived, weighing 7.0 oz. At 7:20pm, a tiny blenheim boy joined them, weighing just 5.0 oz. We thought we were done… but mama had one more surprise. Another boy! At 8:15pm, she delivered another blenheim baby, weighing 6.2 oz. Elle took her sweet time and did absolutely wonderful. She is already proving to be such a calm, laid-back, and devoted mama—and has plenty of milk for all four of her boys. Her foster mom was right there beside her through every moment of this long day—supporting, guiding, and loving her through it all. Tonight, we are holding space for both the joy and the heartbreak of the day… welcoming four seemingly healthy boys into the world, while honoring the life of their sweet sister, Palmer—who was loved her entire life 🤍And now, with mom resting comfortably with her babies tucked in close and nursing, we say goodnight 🌙

UPDATE MARCH 30, 2026: Meet the babies 🐶
For those just joining us—mama Elle came into our rescue on Thursday, very pregnant… and yesterday (Sunday), she birthed five puppies 🐾 
In their birth order (down then over)…
Sweet sister Palmer, who was born sleeping and knew only love her entire life 🩷
Biggest brother Peter 🩵
Perfect Pascal 🩵
Little Benedict 🩵
And our surprise, Asher 🩵
Puppies born in rescue under these circumstances are incredibly delicate, and right now our entire focus is on their thriving and supporting mama as she cares for them. Because of this, we are not exploring adoption at this time—and won’t be for quite some time.
For now, we invite you to follow along and share in their journey, with plenty of pupdates in the months to come 🐾

UPDATE April 3, 2026: Sweet Elle birthed 4 living puppies and 1 still born puppy on Sunday, just 3 days after arriving into rescue. I am saddened to let you know that we have since lost the smallest fella of the litter - baby Benedict 🤍From the very beginning, Benedict was fragile. Elle let us know something wasn’t right and we stepped in to support him in every way we could. But despite our best efforts, he faded. He was loved his entire little life.We know many of you will have questions. Please understand that, as heartbreaking as it is, this is not uncommon—especially in rescue situations where the mama’s have not received proper care, have been under a great deal of stress, have been exposed to harmful things, and where there are so many unknowns. What is often referred to as ‘fading puppy syndrome’ can be influenced by many factors, including complications during pregnancy or delivery, low birth weight, congenital abnormalities, inadequate nursing, infection, maternal causes, and sometimes, despite everything being done, they still slip away.This is also a delicate balance for Elle. She is doing her very best for her babies, while also having her own needs that have had to be put on hold while she cares for her pups the best she can. Right now, we remain in a very fragile window. The next few weeks are touch and go. Peter and Pascal are doing well, but little Asher is frail, and we are watching him closely. Thank you for keeping this little family in your thoughts and hearts 💕

UPDATE April 7, 2026: Mom and pups caught in a quiet moment 🤍The babies are 9 days old today. Elle continues to do well and is settling into motherhood, caring for her babies the best she can 💕Plump little Peter and Pascal are thriving by all means — full bellies, steady weight gain, and continuing to grow just as we hope to see 🙌🏼Our tiny Asher, though, is still struggling. Despite being bottle fed every two hours, he isn’t gaining weight the way we need him to. He remains so small and fragile. We are continuing to watch him and support him and hoping he finds the strength to turn a corner 🙏🏻These early days can be so delicate, especially for puppies born under these rescue circumstances. We will continue to bring you updates and we appreciate you keeping this sweet family in your hearts 💜

UPDATE MAY 14, 2026: Elle’s puppies Peter and Pascal will turn 7 weeks old this weekend and mama is beginning to enjoy a little more “adult time” away from the babies 💜Because Elle came to us at the eleventh hour just before the puppies were born, we had not yet been able to fully assess her medical needs. So yesterday she visited our veterinarian for her full vetting so we could learn more about her health and her needs which also provides some insight into the puppies too as Elle had originally been acquired by an individual at a flea market–type situation where no records or paperwork were exchanged, including her age and medical history.We are happy to share that she checked out beautifully on physical exam. Her eyes, knees, hips, and heart are all found to be clear and congenitally sound at this time. She currently weighs 19 pounds, though she is still carrying quite a bit of milk. She will need a dental cleaning at the time of her future spay surgery, and we are awaiting the results of all of her labwork. Our best estimate is that Elle is around 6 years old.While we know absolutely nothing about the paternal side of Peter and Pascal, it is reassuring to know that their mom appears clear and congenitally sound at this time. The boys themselves will undergo their first veterinary exam later this month 🩺(Elle is not available for adoption at this time as she remains a very devoted mom to her puppies.)

UPDATE JUNE 20, 2026: Now that her pups have been adopted and are settling well into their furever home, Elle is transitioning beautifully from motherhood to independence and enjoying some well deserved adult time in her foster home in Acworth, Georgia.
Her milk is drying up, and she is now nearing the final step in her rescue journey before becoming available for adoption and finding her own family. Elle recently visited the vet for her pre-surgical appointment ahead of her spay surgery which is schedule for 7/7.
Elle proved to be such a dedicated and devoted mom, giving Peter & Pascal the very best start in life, and we are looking forward to ensuring for her a very happy furever 💜

UPDATE JULY 3, 2026: Now that Elle isn’t having to take care of puppies and her body is recovering from the demands of motherhood, we’re getting to see her darling personality emerge more and more! 💕She’s now running and romping with the other Cavaliers in her foster home in Acworth, Georgia, and has discovered toys and chews which she is enjoying. This upcoming week, she will undergo her spay surgery and dental, and after a short recovery, she’ll be back to play and fun in no time 💜

UPDATE AUGUST 9, 2026: Sweet Elle in Acworth, Georgia, who you may remember arrived into our care heavily pregnant and soon became mama to Peter and Pascal, is now fully recovered from her spay surgery and dental with 14 extractions. 
Although a heart murmur was not detected during Elle’s initial intake vetting, one has been heard intermittently since, with some conflicting assessments. Because listening to the heart with a stethoscope can only tell us that a murmur may be present, it cannot tell us exactly what is happening structurally within the heart or determine the presence or stage of heart disease. For that, an echocardiogram is the gold standard where you can actually see the heart, evaluate its valves and chambers, and assess blood flow and heart function.
With the conflicting findings, we don’t want to make assumptions when it comes to Elle’s heart. She is scheduled for an echocardiogram next week so we can get a clear and accurate picture and determine whether there is anything that needs to be monitored or treated and also be able to share this valuable information with her adopting family when that time comes. 
Our sweet mama has been through so much since arriving into our care, and we’re making sure every box is checked before she moves on to the next chapter of her story 💜

UPDATE AUGUST 22, 2026: Although a heart murmur was not detected during Elle’s initial intake vetting, one has been heard intermittently since, with some conflicting assessments. Because listening to the heart with a stethoscope can only tell us that a murmur may be present, it cannot tell us exactly what is happening structurally within the heart or determine the presence or stage of heart disease. For that, an echocardiogram is the gold standard where you can actually see the heart, evaluate its valves and chambers, and assess blood flow and heart function.

With the conflicting findings, we didn’t want to make assumptions when it comes to Elle’s heart and so yesterday she underwent an echocardiogram where we are happy to report that there was just very mild evidence of mitral valve disease with otherwise normal parameters. She does not need any intervention at this time and instead should have a repeat echo in a year to monitor for any changes or progression.

With this good news, Elle has now been deemed healthy, medically cleared, and ready to be listed for adoption. We are beginning to work with her foster family to get her listed. Elle is in Acworth, Georgia 💜 